Canadian teenage music prodigy Nell Smith, best known for collaborating with The Flaming Lips, has died at 17 years old.
Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne paid tribute to Smith on stage during the band’s concert in Portland on Sunday night, revealing that she had died in a car accident.
Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde further confirmed the news via Instagram on Monday. In a statement, Raymonde shared that Smith had been set to release her debut solo album on his label Bella Union next year. “We are all shocked and devastated to hear of the sudden and tragic passing of our artist and dear friend Nell Smith, over the weekend in British Columbia,” Raymonde wrote.
“Nell was just 17 and was preparing for the release of her first solo record in early 2025 on Bella Union, made in Brighton with Penelope Isles’ Jack and Lily Wolter,” he continued. “Her first release was an album of covers of Nick Cave songs recorded …