Musical prodigy Nell Smith who worked with The Flaming Lips dies aged 17 in car crash months before debut album release
TEENAGE musician Nell Smith has been killed in a car crash.
The 17-year-old was best known for collaborating with The Flaming Lips.
Smith was due to release her debut album next year.
Her death at the weekend was confirmed by Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde.
His Bella Union label had signed the Canadian musical prodigy.
Raymonde wrote on social media: “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.
“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.”
The Flaming Lips singer Wayne Coyne paid tribute to the young star during their show in Poland on Monday night.
He told the crowd she was “killed in a car accident”.
Choking back tears, he said: “We have a very sad announcement to make tonight.
“We have a Canadian friend, her name is Nell.
“We recorded an amazing album with her three years ago, an album full of songs by Nick Cave.
“We have some sad messages today – she was killed in a car accident last night (October 6).
“We are reminded once again of the power of music and how encouraging it can be to be around people that you love.”
Smith had been working on her debut album, which was due to be released “in early 2025”.
It is unclear whether it will be released posthumously.
In a moving tribute, Smith’s family said: “It pains us so much to say that our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was cruelly taken from us on Saturday night.
“We are reeling from the news and don’t know what to do or say.
“She had so much more to experience and to give to this world but we are grateful that she got to experience so very much in her 17 years.
“She has left an indelible mark on the world and an unfillable chasm in our hearts.
“Hold your kids extra tight tonight and for now please leave us to work through things.
“We will shout when we need you.”
At the age of 14, Smith recorded an album of Nick Cave covers.
She sent the album – titled Where The Viaduct Looms – to The Flaming Lips who provided further instrumentation on the record.
It was released in November 2021.
Smith had built a rapport with the group after dressing as a parrot in the front row of several of their gigs at the age of 12.
They later met and kept in touch during the pandemic, when Smith took advantage of lockdown to record the album.
After the release of the album’s first single, a cover of Girl In Amber, Cave himself praised it.
He said: “This version of ‘Girl in Amber’ is just lovely, I was going to say Nell Smith inhabits the song, but that’s wrong, rather she vacates the song, in a way that I could never do.
“Nell shows a remarkable understanding of the song, a sense of dispassion that is both beautiful and chilling. I just love it. I’m a fan.”