Nell Smith, music prodigy and Flaming Lips collaborator, dies aged 17

Nell Smith, the young Canadian singer who collaborated with The Flaming Lips, has died aged 17.

Her family confirmed the sad news in an Instagram statement on Monday.

“It is with great pain that we have to say that our talented, unique, beautiful girl was cruelly taken from us on Saturday night,” her family members Jude, Rachel, Z and Ike began in a written statement.

“We are reeling from the news and don't know what to do or say,” they said. “He had so much experience and so much more to give to this world but we are grateful that he has had so much experience in his 17 years. He left an indelible mark of words and an irreparable hole in our hearts.”

“Hold your children extra tight tonight and please leave us to work for now. We will shout when you need us,” the statement concluded.

Smith's family has yet to confirm the cause of death.

However, The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne claimed at the rock band's concert in Portland, Oregon on Sunday that Smith was killed in a car accident.

In fan footage from the show, Coyne, 63, said, “We have a sad announcement tonight. We have a Canadian friend, her name is Nell. … We received some very sad news today that he was killed in a car accident last night and we are once again reminded of the power of music.”

Simon Raymond, owner of the Bella Union record label that planned to release Smith's debut album in 2025, also posted a moving tribute to the late star on Instagram.

“We are all shocked and devastated to hear of the sudden and tragic death of our artist and dear friend Nell Smith over the weekend in British Columbia,” Raymond, 62, wrote on behalf of Bella Union.

“Smith is just 17 and preparing to release her first solo record on Bella Union in early 2025, produced in Brighton with Jack and Lily Wolter of Penelope Isles,” the statement said.

“While we all try and come to terms with the terrible news and pay our respects to Nell's grieving family, we cannot comment further at this time.”

At age 12, Smith attended a show by The Flaming Lips in 2018 and bonded with Coyne. He eventually worked with the band on “Where the Viaduct Looms”, a November 2021 cover album of music by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

Cave, 67, praised Smith and her cover of “Girl in Amber” in The Red Hand File in 2021, writing, “This version of Girl in Amber is so beautiful, I was going to say Nell Smith lives the song, but that's wrong, she's the song. It empties me in a way I never could.”

“Nell shows an incredible understanding of the song, a sense of disgust that's both beautiful and chilling. I just love it. I'm a fan,” added the Australian musician.

Smith created a Kickstarter fundraising page last year to help finance his debut album. The page has raised more than $17,000 of its original $10,000 goal.

“I've always loved music and started writing some of the songs on this album when I was 12, it's really exciting to see them come to life,” Smith wrote on the page.

He also said that he hoped the album and subsequent tour would help “fund my real dream which is to go to music school in the UK.”