Former singer and G.R.L. member Lauren Bennett has died. She was 37.
“It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren,” Bennett’s former G.R.L. bandmates Emmalyn Estrada, Natasha Slayton and Paula van Oppen wrote in a joint statement shared via Instagram on Monday, July 6. “Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us.”
The statement continued, “We will forever cherish the love, laughter and countless memories she gave us. Her beautiful spirit touched so many lives and she will be deeply missed and forever loved. Rest peacefully, sweet Lauren. You will be in our hearts.”
No additional details regarding Bennett’s death, including the official cause, were shared at the time of publication.
Bennett was best known for her role in the group G.R.L. The band formed in 2012 with Bennett, Estrada, Slayton, van Oppen and Simone Battle. The following year, the group found success with their hit song “Vacation,” featured on the Smurfs 2 soundtrack, and their collaboration with Pitbull for his song “Wild Wild Love.”
While G.R.L. was on the rise, tragedy struck in September 2024 when Battle died at age 25. Her death was later ruled a suicide.
“Words cannot express the depth of our loss. Simone’s incredible talent was only surpassed by the size of her heart.” the group tweeted from their official account at the time. “We will carry her memory with us in everything we do.”
After Battle’s death, G.R.L. released their song “Lighthouse.” In addition to dropping the track, the group revealed their new campaign with the nonprofit Give an Hour called G.R.L. Gives an Hour. The initiative was dedicated to raise awareness about mental health issues in the United States.
Less than a year later, G.R.L decided to disband following Battle’s death. In 2015, Bennett decided to pursue a solo career and released her song “Hurricane” the following year.
“After G.R.L. ended I had no idea what was going to happen next, everything fell apart pretty fast. That’s when this song was written,” Bennett wrote via Instagram in 2016. “After seeing my mother suffer with mental struggles for years I then lost a friend to this. It has always affected my life in some way. We all at least know someone who has dealt with it or have yourself. This is a story to show from my eyes what it feels like to suffer from this but also the other perspective to lose someone to this.”
In addition to her time with G.R.L., Bennett was also best known for being featured on LMFAO’s hit song “Party Rock Anthem,” her first No. 1 song of her career.
