Simon Raymonde, co-founder of Bella Union, her record label, and former bassist for the Cocteau Twins, confirmed her death on Instagram.
The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne claimed during a performance in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday that she passed away in a car accident, however he did not provide an official cause of death.
Sharing images of Nell, including time spent with her younger brother, with Coyne and writing music in Canada, Raymonde wrote: “We are all stunned and devastated to hear of the untimely and tragic demise of our artist and dear friend Nell Smith, over the weekend in British Columbia.
At the age of seventeen, Nell was getting ready for the release of her debut solo album on Bella Union in early 2025. The record was recorded in Brighton alongside Jack and Lily Wolter of Penelope Isles.
“Where The Viaduct Looms,” an album of Nick Cave covers she recorded in 2021 with fellow Bella Union artists The Flaming Lips, was her debut release.
We are unable to comment further at this time out of respect for Nell’s bereaved family and while we all attempt to process the terrible news. The family Bella Union.
