G.R.L. confirmed Lauren Bennett’s death, but no cause has been revealed
British singer Lauren Bennett, one of the voices behind LMFAO’s massive 2011 hit Party Rock Anthem, has died aged 36.
Her former group G.R.L. announced the news on Instagram on Monday, saying its members were heartbroken by the loss of their “beloved Lauren”. The statement did not reveal a cause of death.
Coroner records say Bennett died in Meopham, Kent, on 29 May. An inquest is scheduled to take place in October.
The Lauren Bennett death has shocked fans who remember her as part of one of the most recognisable pop moments of the early 2010s. Party Rock Anthem became a global dance-floor anthem and spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2011. Billboard later named it the fifth most successful song of all time.
Bennett also appeared in the song’s music video alongside LMFAO, helping turn the track into a visual and viral phenomenon. The video has since been watched more than 2.5bn times on YouTube.
Her career stretched beyond that single moment. In 2014, she joined G.R.L., the pop group created as a reboot of The Pussycat Dolls. The line-up included Paula Van Oppen, Natasha Slayton, Simone Battle and Emmalyn Estrada.
The group’s best-known single, Ugly Heart, was released in 2014. That same year, G.R.L. also featured on Pitbull’s Wild Wild Love, bringing the group to a wider international audience.
But the band’s story was later marked by tragedy. G.R.L. disbanded in 2015 after Simone Battle died by suicide. Now, years later, Lauren Bennett’s death has brought renewed grief for fans of the group and those who followed Bennett’s career.
In its tribute, G.R.L. said members would forever cherish the love, laughter and memories Bennett gave them. The statement added that her spirit had touched many lives and that she would be deeply missed and forever loved.
Bennett also worked on music connected to film. She sang on soundtracks for Date Night and 21 Jump Street, adding another layer to a career that moved between pop groups, collaborations and screen soundtracks.
Before G.R.L., Bennett was part of Paradiso Girls, a group created by dancer and choreographer Robin Antin as a European spin-off of The Pussycat Dolls. Her path through pop music placed her in several major projects linked to some of the biggest names and sounds of the period.
Following Lauren Bennett’s death, former bandmate Aria Crescendo posted an emotional tribute on Instagram. She called Bennett her sister and best friend, saying she could not believe she had gone. Crescendo said they had spoken a week before what happened and that she had not imagined it would be their final conversation.
Representatives for Bennett did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment.
For many listeners, Bennett’s voice will remain tied to the explosive success of Party Rock Anthem, a song that defined a particular era of pop and dance music. But those who knew her work more closely will also remember her through G.R.L., Paradiso Girls and the friendships she built along the way.
The Lauren Bennett death leaves unanswered questions while the inquest remains ahead. For now, her former bandmates, friends and fans are mourning a singer whose voice became part of one of pop’s biggest modern hits.