Nell Smith, Music Prodigy & Flaming Lips Collaborator, Dies at 17

Nell Smith, a young musician prepping her first solo album for a 2025 release, has tragically died at 17.

Her family shared the news on Instagram, revealing she was killed in a car crash.

“It pains us so much to say that our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was cruelly taken from us on Saturday night,” they wrote. “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 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 word and an unfillable chasm in our hearts.”

The statement closed with, “Hold your kids extra tight tonight and for now please leave us to work through things. We will shout when we need you” and was signed by family members Jude, Rachel, Jed and Ike. 

Smith gained attention with the 2021 release of “Where the Viaduct Looms,” an album of Nick Cave cover songs recorded with the band the Flaming Lips.

Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne addressed the loss during a concert on October 6, telling the crowd, “We are reminded once again of the power of music and how encouraging it can be to be around people that you love,” he said before playing “Everything Has Changed.”

Simon Raymonde, who co-founded Nell’s record label Bella Union, also grieved her passing. 

“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,” he wrote on Instagram. “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. Her first release was an album of covers of Nick Cave songs recorded with fellow Bella Union artistes The Flaming Lips back in 2021 entitled, ‘Where The Viaduct Looms.’”

Raymonde continued, “While we all try and come to terms with the awful news, and out of respect to Nell’s grieving family, we are unable to make any further comments at this time.”

When Nell was 14 she was featured in the “Out There” documentary series, and recalled how she met the Flaming Lips.

Smith said, “Three years ago we went to a couple Flaming Lips concerts. My dad told me I should wear something crazy, and I found this [parrot] costume and I wore it to the shows. During that show I was up near Wayne with the space bubble he goes in and he stops in the middle of the crowd on this platform and I was up on my dad’s shoulders… and he recognized that I was there singing it… and I kind of sung it like a duet almost.”

She continued, “I thought it was a one-time thing and I wouldn’t talk to them again, but I saw him going off stage and I waved at him, and he said he recognized me from other shows… after the shows my dad would send him videos of me playing the guitar and some of my songs that I had wrote.”

Nell said Wayne suggested she try singing Nick Cave, which directly led to the breakthrough album of covers.

The singer shared, “It has been an honor to be introduced to the music industry like this with such an awesome successful band.”

The loss of Nell comes at the same time that Flaming Lips instrumentalist Steven Drozd’s daughter went missing near the Space Needle in Seattle. 

After a scary few days, Coyne shared the happy news on Tuesday that she was found.

“Yessssssshe’s found and is safe.. her mother has spoke with her.. THANK YOU everyone for all your posts and all your networking and all your support and all your skills and all your trust and all your LOVE !!! .”