Warren Ellis pays tribute to Nell Smith, who has died aged 17: “Shocked and devastated”
Warren Ellis is among those paying tribute to a young musician called Nell Smith following her death. She was 17 years old.
Smith’s passing was announced by Cocteau Twins‘ Simon Raymonde on social media last night (October 7). Raymonde’s Bella Union label signed Smith, and the young musician was due to release her debut album next year.
In the update, Raymonde said that the loss had left him “shocked and devastated”. While no cause of death was shared in that update, The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne paid his respects during the band’s Portland show last night, and shared onstage that “she was killed in a car accident”.
The Flaming Lips had joined forces with Nell three years ago, and released an album full of Nick Cave covers. Now, musician, composer and long-time Cave collaborator Ellis has paid his respects to the teenage musician.
“Such terribly sad news. Love to her family. 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, sharing a number of photos.
“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’,” he added.
“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. The Bella Union Family.”
Smith first struck up a relationship with The Flaming Lips in 2019 after the band had noticed the then-12-year-old dressed as a parrot in the front row at several of their concerts alongside her parents. They later met and kept in contact before Smith began laying down the foundation for the Cave cover album in 2021.
Smith – aged 14 at the time – sent the album to The Flaming Lips, who provided further instrumentation on the record. ‘Where The Viaduct Looms’ was released in November 2021.
After the release of the album’s first single, a cover of Bad Seeds’ 2016 track ‘Girl In Amber’, Nick Cave himself shared his love for the version, saying: “This version of ‘Girl in Amber’ is just lovely, I was going to say Nell Smith inhabits the song, but that’s wrong, rather she vacates the song, in a way that I could never do.
“Nell shows a remarkable understanding of the song, a sense of dispassion that is both beautiful and chilling. I just love it. I’m a fan.”
Smith’s family have now posted an announcement on social media too. They wrote: “It pains us so much to say that our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was cruelly taken from us on Saturday night. 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 world and an unfillable chasm in our hearts. Hold your kids extra tight tonight and for now please leave us to work through things. We will shout when we need you.”
In related news, The Flaming Lips have also shared a missing person notice for Charlotte “Bowie” Drozd, daughter of band member Steven Drozd. The 16-year-old was last seen at the Seattle Space Needle on Saturday October 5 and has been described as 5’7” with brown eyes and long brown hair. She was seen wearing khaki colour shorts and pink shoes, according to a post made by the Seattle Police Department.
Anyone with any information about Charlotte “Bowie” Drozd should contact the Seattle Police Department at 206-625-5011 or call or text Becky Drozd at 405-831-6795.
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Liberty Dunworth
NME
