B.C. teen musician who worked with Flaming Lips has died: family
Nell Smith was 13 when she released an album with the Grammy Award-winning band
Nell Smith, the B.C. teenager who cut nine tracks with Grammy Award-winning rock band the Flaming Lips, has died, her family says.
The news was shared by Smith's family on her verified Instagram account, and confirmed by CBC News. She was 17.
"It pains us so much to say that our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was cruelly taken from us on Saturday night," says the post, attributed to her parents and family.
"She had so much more to experience and to give 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."
Simon Raymonde, founder of the U.K. record label Bella Union that put out Smith's album with the Flaming Lips, also confirmed the news on a post to X.
The origins of that album — Where the Viaduct Looms by Nell and the Flaming Lips — go back to when Smith was just 10 years old and saw a concert in Washington state by the psychedelic rock band, whose live performances are known for their elaborate stage show and costumes.
The girl from Fernie, B.C., a mountain town of about 6,300 people in the province's southeast, soon became a regular with her father at the band's shows, where she would wear a parrot costume.
Before long the band's lead singer, Wayne Coyne, started noticing the kid in the costume screaming out his lyrics near the front of the stage.
He began talking to the family and learned Nell was a musician herself, recording music at home.
Coyne suggested they collaborate.
When Smith was 13 and COVID-19 travel restrictions were in place, she emailed tracks of her singing covers of songs by the musician Nick Cave, and the band would then record backing tracks.
"I actually did not know who Nick Cave was before [Coyne] suggested it," Nell said in a 2020 interview with CBC News. "I thought it was a really interesting choice."
Coyne said at the time that he chose Nick Cave because he knew Smith wouldn't know him and have preconceived notions about his music.
"I think Nell and I just wanted to start to make some music and see what would happen. Doing cover songs is a fun way to get things rolling along," he said.
The nine-track album was released in 2021 and earned praise from Cave himself, as well as a musical appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
She continued to make music and her debut solo album is due for release on Bella Union in 2025.
In a clip posted to social media website Threads, Coyne shared news of Smith's death during a concert on Sunday in Portland, Ore.
"We are reminded once again of the power of music and how encouraging it can be to be around people that you love," Coyne said, stating Smith died in a car accident.
The cause of Smith's death has not been independently confirmed by CBC News.
Her upcoming album was co-produced by Fernie, B.C., rock band Shred Kelly who wrote on Instagram that Smith was an "incredibly creative, talented, funny and kind person that is gone way too soon."
Smith's family has asked for privacy. In their post, they write: "Hold your kids extra tight tonight and for now please leave us to work through things. We will shout when we need you."
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