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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Nell Peggy Cline Smith, the British Columbia singer who went from devoted Flaming Lips fan to collaborator with the band, died at 17 in a car accident in British Columbia on or around October 6, 2024. Her recorded legacy includes the 2021 Nick Cave covers album Where the Viaduct Looms and the posthumous 2025 solo album Anxious.
Nell Peggy Cline Smith, the British Columbia singer who went from devoted Flaming Lips fan to collaborator with the band, died at 17 in a car accident in British Columbia on or around October 6, 2024. Her death was announced by her family and Bella Union; October 6 is the date identified by Smith’s official biography and later label materials. Public information does not establish further details about the crash, and claims about its precise location or circumstances should be treated cautiously.
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Smith left behind two very different but closely connected recordings: Where the Viaduct Looms, a 2021 album of Nick Cave covers made with The Flaming Lips, and Anxious, her first and only solo studio album, released posthumously in April 2025.
From Flaming Lips fan to collaborator
Smith was born in Leeds, England, in 2007 and moved with her family to Canada in 2012. She grew up in Fernie, British Columbia, where festivals and concerts helped shape her interest in music. According to her official biography, she began performing live at 11 and drew inspiration from artists including David Bowie, Fleet Foxes, MGMT, Arcade Fire, and The Flaming Lips.
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Her connection with The Flaming Lips began as a fan’s act of persistence rather than an industry introduction. Smith saw the band in Spokane in 2017, when she was 10, and attended another show in 2018. At that later concert, she sent a letter to the band’s tour bus and caught Wayne Coyne’s attention from near the stage. Coyne remained in contact with Smith and her parents as she learned guitar and developed her songwriting.
That history matters because Smith was not a member of The Flaming Lips. She was a young artist and collaborator who recorded with the band, with Coyne playing an important role in the relationship that led to her first widely released project.
Where the Viaduct Looms: nine Nick Cave covers
During the COVID-19 period, Smith recorded vocals remotely for a project overseen by Coyne and The Flaming Lips. The result was Where the Viaduct Looms, a nine-track album built around Nick Cave songs. Smith provided the vocals, while The Flaming Lips handled the instrumentation and production.
Bella Union released the album on November 26, 2021, when Smith was 14. The project gave her an unusual introduction to a wider audience: rather than presenting a conventional set of original songs from a new teenage artist, it placed her voice inside a carefully produced interpretation of Cave’s dark, theatrical songwriting.
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Cave publicly praised the album, singling out Smith’s interpretation of “Girl in Amber” in contemporary comments. In January 2022, Smith and The Flaming Lips performed “Red Right Hand” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, bringing the collaboration to a mainstream television audience.
Listeners looking for a physical edition can check the Where the Viaduct Looms physical release through the official artist-store and Bella Union pathways. Availability, format, price, and retailer stock can change, so a current listing should be checked before purchase.
Anxious and Smith’s solo songwriting
Smith’s own songwriting became the focus of her next major project. She was working on a solo debut with Jack and Lily Wolter of Penelope Isles. Recording sessions took place in Brighton, England, and included songs she had been developing since adolescence. Three songs were co-written with the Canadian folk band Shred Kelly during writing sessions in Fernie in 2022.
Bella Union released Anxious on April 11, 2025, after Smith’s death. The album contains 10 songs and runs for approximately 40 minutes. Its subject matter includes teenage highs and lows, uncertainty, ambition, love, and grief—the emotional territory of a young songwriter trying to understand herself and the world around her.
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Anxious should be understood as Smith’s first and only solo studio album, not as a complete statement of a career that was still forming. It offers evidence of her development as a songwriter and recording artist without requiring speculation about what she might have achieved later.
The official artist store lists Nell Smith’s Anxious on CD as well as an LP. The album is also listed through Bella Union and major music services. Because this is a posthumous release, buyers should distinguish between official editions and secondary-market listings, where prices and descriptions may vary.
What happened to Nell Smith?
Smith’s family announced her death in October 2024. Bella Union head Simon Raymonde confirmed the sudden passing of one of the label’s artists and asked for privacy for the family. Wayne Coyne later said during a Flaming Lips performance that Smith had died in a car accident.
The most responsible summary is that Smith died at age 17 in a car accident in British Columbia on or around October 6, 2024. Some early obituary reports used October 5, but October 6 is supported by Smith’s official biography and subsequent label materials. No additional details about the crash should be presented as established fact unless the family or another authoritative source publicly confirms them.
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The Nell Smith Memorial Fund
Smith’s family established the Nell Smith Memorial Fund to help emerging young musicians overcome the financial barriers associated with recording, engineering, live performance, touring, and video production. The fund’s published 2026 intake offered one award of CAD $5,000 for a British Columbia musician and two awards of GBP £1,200 for applicants connected to Leeds, subject to the fund’s eligibility requirements and deadlines.
Those details apply to the published 2026 intake and should not be assumed to describe future rounds. Musicians should consult the fund’s current official information for eligibility, deadlines, geographic requirements, and application instructions.
For listeners who want to support the fund’s purpose, the most direct route is to learn about the Nell Smith Memorial Fund through the family’s official channels. Purchasing music or commemorative items is not automatically the same as making a donation, so readers should check how any particular sale is described and where proceeds are directed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to approach Smith’s catalog
- Start with Where the Viaduct Looms if you are interested in the Flaming Lips connection, Nick Cave’s songwriting, or the way Smith’s voice was framed by the band’s production.
- Follow with Anxious to hear the material Smith was developing as her own artist, including songs shaped by her adolescence and her work with Penelope Isles and Shred Kelly.
- Use official stores and label listings for physical editions. The official artist store currently lists Anxious on CD and LP, while it directs listeners seeking Where the Viaduct Looms toward Bella Union.
- Keep the two albums distinct. The 2021 release is a collaborative collection of nine Nick Cave covers; the 2025 release is Smith’s 10-song posthumous solo debut.
- Respect the limits of the public record. Smith’s work can be discussed on its own terms without embellishing the circumstances of her death or making predictions about the career she might have had.
Nell Smith’s recorded legacy is compact but not one-dimensional. Where the Viaduct Looms documents an extraordinary transition from fan to collaborator, while Anxious shifts attention toward the songwriter she was becoming. The memorial fund extends that story beyond the recordings by directing support toward young musicians facing the practical costs of making music.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How did Nell Smith die?
Nell Smith died at age 17 in a car accident in British Columbia on or around October 6, 2024. October 6 is the date supported by her official biography and later label materials, although some early reports used October 5.
Was Nell Smith a member of The Flaming Lips?
No. Smith was a collaborator and guest vocalist who recorded with The Flaming Lips. She was not a member of the band.
What is the difference between Where the Viaduct Looms and Anxious?
Where the Viaduct Looms is a 2021 album of nine Nick Cave covers, with Smith on vocals and The Flaming Lips handling instrumentation and production. Anxious is Smith’s 10-song solo album, released posthumously by Bella Union on April 11, 2025.
What does the Nell Smith Memorial Fund support?
The Nell Smith Memorial Fund supports emerging young musicians by helping reduce the costs of recording, engineering, live performance, touring, and video production. Its published 2026 intake included awards for eligible musicians connected to British Columbia and Leeds.
The Bottom Line
Nell Smith died at 17 in a car accident in British Columbia on or around October 6, 2024. Her legacy rests on both sides of her brief recording career: the Nick Cave covers album Where the Viaduct Looms with The Flaming Lips and her posthumous solo album Anxious, alongside a family-led fund supporting emerging young musicians.
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