Nell Smith, 2007 – 2024

Rising musician Nell Smith, 17, died in a car accident on Oct. 5 in British Columbia. Smith was a protégé of the band The Flaming Lips, and sang several Nick Cave numbers with them on their 2021 album Where the Viaduct Looms. The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne posted that “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. I picked Nick Cave, ’cause I love his music and lyrics, and I thought, ‘Nell probably doesn’t know very much of his music, and she might (because she has NO pre-conceived notions) just do something very simple, heartfelt and original.’ And… SHE DID!!” Smith’s first solo album is set to be released next year.