A member of the group, Matt Duckworth of The Flaming Lips has spoken out after a 17-year-old prodigy who played with the group was killed in a car crash. The family of Canadian musician Nell Smith, known for her collaborations with the rock band, confirmed the news of her death in an Instagram statement on Monday.
Matt Duckworth who plays the keyboards, percussion, and drums in the band, has provided a screenshot of an article announcing Smith’s death to his Instagram story—and a similar message to X—writing: “It’s been an absolutely terrible couple of days in Flaming Lips world.”
Smith’s family shared their grief in the caption of a carousel post they shared on Instagram. “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 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. Jude, Rachel, Jed and Ike x.”
The Flaming Lips’ singer Wayne Coyne also talked about the news of Smith’s death during the band’s show on Saturday, per the Daily Mail.
“We have a Canadian friend, her name is Nell. We recorded an amazing album with her three years ago, an album full of songs by Nick Cave,” he said.
“We got some very sad messages today… that she was killed in a car accident last night. We are reminded once again of the power of music and how encouraging it can be to be around people that you love.”
The Flaming Lips was formed in 1983 in Oklahoma. Known for its mesmerizing sound and innovative live shows, the band blends and brings together elements of psychedelic rock, experimental music, and pop. They gained mainstream success in the 1990s with albums like The Soft Bulletin (1999) and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002), and the band’s hits include “Do You Realize??” and “She Don’t Use Jelly.”
The group recorded several albums and EPs on an indie label, Restless, in the 1980s and early 1990s. After signing to Warner Brothers they released Hit to Death in the Future Head (1992), followed by Transmissions from the Satellite Heart (1993) and the hit single “She Don’t Use Jelly” which broke the band into the mainstream.
They later released The Soft Bulletin (1999), which was NME magazine’s Album of the Year, followed by the critically acclaimed Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002). In February 2007, they were nominated for a BRIT Award for “Best International Act”.
They have won three Grammy Awards, including two for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. They were placed on Q magazine’s list of the “50 Bands to See Before You Die” in 2002. Remember their incredible music, and jam out to some of it today above.