The death of young musician Nell Smith has left a deep impact on both the music world and the public. At just 17, Nell passed away on Saturday night, October 5, in British Columbia. Along with her family, many well-known musicians have expressed their sadness and shock over her sudden death.
Nell was about to release her first solo album next year. The album, which she recorded in Brighton, was going to be released by Bella Union, an independent record label. Despite her young age, she had already achieved a lot in her music career. Her passing happened just as her career was set to soar.
Simon Raymonde, co-owner of Bella Union and the producer of Nell’s upcoming album, shared his grief on Instagram. He posted photos of Nell, along with a heartfelt message. The photos were given to him by Nell’s family and musician Warren Ellis. One of the images showed Nell and her brother, Ike, in a tender family moment. Another picture showed Nell standing on a beach, deep in thought, with her guitar. Simon mentioned this was taken when she wrote one of her first songs on Vancouver Island.
There were also photos of Nell with The Flaming Lips’ lead singer, Wayne Coyne, who she had collaborated with on a project in 2021. Another image captured the moment Nell saw her blue vinyl record “Where The Viaduct Looms” for the first time, her smile showing how proud she was of her work.
Simon’s last photo showed Nell and Warren Ellis sharing a close moment, with Nell wrapping her arms around the musician. Warren held what looked like Nell’s mixtape, a symbol of her early passion for music.
In his post, Simon expressed that, out of respect for Nell’s family, he couldn’t share more details at the time. He spoke about her talent and the incredible things she had already accomplished as a young artist.
Nell’s family also shared their sadness on Instagram. They posted a series of photos, remembering special moments they had shared with Nell. Alongside the photos, they wrote a heartfelt message: “Our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was taken from us too soon. We are heartbroken and don’t know what to do or say.” They added that while Nell had so much more to give to the world, they were thankful for all she had experienced in her 17 years. Her family asked for privacy as they dealt with the tragedy, signing off with their names: Jude, Rachel, Jed, and Ike.
Music producer Howard Redekopp, who had worked with Nell on her upcoming album, also shared a tribute on social media. Posting photos of the two of them, Howard wrote about how much he valued the time they spent together, even though it was brief. He praised Nell as a rare and extraordinary talent, and shared how heartbroken he was that she wouldn’t be able to see the lasting influence her music would have. He ended his post by sending love to Nell’s family and friends.
Musician Micah Nelson, son of the legendary Willie Nelson, also paid tribute to Nell on Instagram. He shared images of the two of them playing music together and wrote about the tragedy of her passing. He described Nell as a bright and talented person, full of promise, and shared his sympathy with her family.
Fans have also reacted strongly to the news of Nell’s passing. One fan, posting on Threads, shared a photo from a recent Flaming Lips concert in Portland where the band’s lead singer Wayne Coyne had announced her death. The fan mentioned that Nell had died in a car accident.
A video clip from the concert showed Wayne Coyne breaking the sad news to the audience. He spoke emotionally about his relationship with Nell and their work together on the album “Where The Viaduct Looms.” Wayne struggled to hold back tears as he told the crowd that Nell had died the night before. The audience responded with cheers of love and support, as Wayne reflected on the importance of music and the people we love.
Nell’s connection with The Flaming Lips began in 2018 when she attended one of their concerts. She managed to get a letter to the band on their tour bus, which caught Wayne’s attention. From there, he stayed in contact with Nell’s parents as she began learning to play guitar. By the time she was 11, Nell was performing live, writing her own music, and playing alongside other well-known artists.
Rest in peace, Nell. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and everyone who knew and loved her during this difficult time.
Heartbreaking Tragedy: 18-Year-Old Dies Just Weeks After Collapsing at Graduation!
A sad event has happened in a community recently. An 18-year-old girl named Sienna Stewart passed away unexpectedly at her high school graduation ceremony.
Sienna had a heart transplant when she was very young, at just 8 years old. She had a condition called cardiomyopathy since she was 4 years old, which made her heart weak. The transplant helped her live a fairly normal life for 10 years, but earlier this year she started feeling unwell again.
Her mom, Saevon Chum, said Sienna had been having episodes where she would collapse. Tragically, one of these episodes happened during her graduation ceremony on May 23, 2024. Paramedics were already there trying to help when Saevon arrived.
The principal of Hiram High School asked for a moment to help Sienna when she collapsed. It was a very distressing moment for everyone there.
Sienna’s mom described how the ambulance was already on the scene when she arrived. This time, Sienna didn’t wake up after collapsing, which had never happened before.
The whole community is grieving for Sienna Stewart, remembering her as a young woman who faced health challenges with bravery.
Sienna woke up a few minutes later and decided she wanted to go to her graduation ceremony instead of going to the hospital.
“All she told me was, ‘I just want to graduate, I want to walk.’ That’s all she wanted, because she missed her prom earlier when she was in the hospital,” said her mom, Saevon.
Sadly, Sienna passed away on Wednesday, June 12, just a few weeks after getting her diploma.
“As a mom, you feel so proud because she fought through something that hurt her. You have to be proud. I was proud until the end,” Saevon said.
According to Sienna’s obituary, she had plans to go to college and study sonogram technology starting in the fall.
Rest in peace, Sienna Stewart.
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