Lauren Bennett, the British singer best known as a member of the girl group GRL and for her featured vocals on LMFAO's global hit 'Party Rock Anthem', has died at the age of 37. A cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
Bandmates and Fellow Artists Pay Tribute
In a statement released on social media, the surviving members of GRL — Emmalyn Estrada, Natasha Slayton, and Paula van Oppen — expressed their grief: "It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren. Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us. 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 always be in our hearts. Your GRLS, Em, Tash, and P."
Jessica Sutta, a former member of the Pussycat Dolls, also paid tribute: "I'm so incredibly sorry for your loss. She was magnificent. Beautiful, talented and so incredibly sweet. May she rest in peace."
Early Career and Rise to Fame
Bennett first entered the music industry in 2007 as a member of The Paradiso Girls, a group formed by Pussycat Dolls founder Robin Antin. The group initially consisted of seven women before being reduced to five the following year. They disbanded in 2010, after which Bennett embarked on a solo career, featuring on a remix of will.i.am's 'I Got It from My Mama'.
Her breakthrough came in 2011 when she collaborated with LMFAO on 'Party Rock Anthem', which became a worldwide number-one single, including reaching the top spot in the UK. The track's success catapulted Bennett into the international spotlight.
Success with GRL and Mental Health Advocacy
In 2012, Bennett joined GRL, a group again assembled by Robin Antin, alongside Slayton, Estrada, van Oppen, and the late Simone Battle. Their debut single 'Vacation', released in June 2013, featured on the soundtrack for 'The Smurfs 2' and gained international recognition. The group subsequently achieved chart success with 'Wild Wild Love', a collaboration with Pitbull that reached the UK Top 10. Their single 'Ugly Heart' became a major hit, earning quadruple platinum certification and cementing GRL's status as a leading girl group of the era.
Tragedy struck in September 2014 when Simone Battle died by suicide. In response, Bennett and her bandmates launched the 'Give an Hour' campaign — GRL Gives an Hour — to promote mental health awareness. They also released the single 'Lighthouse' in Battle's memory.
After GRL and Personal Life
Following GRL's disbandment in 2015, Bennett returned to her solo career with the single 'Hurricane', which she described as a reflection on her experiences with mental health struggles, both personal and through the loss of her friend Simone Battle. She stated: "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. 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."
In 2019, Bennett and her partner, actor Kenny Wormald, known for his role in 'Footloose', announced they were expecting their first child. Their daughter Harlow was born on September 6, 2019. Bennett is survived by Harlow and Wormald.
