‘Party Rock Anthem’ singer Lauren Bennett dead at 36
Before finding mainstream success with LMFAO in 2011, Bennett appeared on 'The X Factor' in the U.K., making it through to the final 12.
British musician Lauren Bennett, who sang on LMFAO’s 2011 hit Party Rock Anthem, has died at the age of 36.
The band she was a part of, G.R.L, announced the news on Instagram on Monday.
“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,” the statement began.
“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,” it continued.
The group did not give Bennett’s cause of death in its statement.
Party Rock Anthem is one of the most successful dance-pop tracks of all time; it held the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks in 2011 and spent 29 weeks in the top 10.
She also starred alongside LMFAO in the music video, which has more than 2.5 billion views on YouTube. Bennett sang on the soundtracks of the films Date Night and 21 Jump Street and was part of another group, the Paradiso Girls, which was created by Robin Antin, who formed the Pussycat Dolls, from 2007 to 2010.
The group disbanded in 2010 after releasing the single Patron Tequila featuring Lil Jon and Eve, which hit number three on the U.S. dance club chart in 2009, The Guardian reported.
Bennett joined G.R.L in 2014 with singers Paula Van Oppen, Natasha Slayton, Simone Battle and Emmalyn Estrada. After releasing several songs, most notably Ugly Heart, and featuring on Pitbull’s song Wild Wild Love that same year, they parted ways in 2015 when Battle died by suicide.
Bennett’s former Paradiso Girls bandmate paid tribute to her on Instagram, writing, “RIP Lauren my sister my best friend I can’t believe you left us. We spoke a week before it all happened and I could not imagine that would be the last time I would be able to talk to you. Love you and miss you forever.”
Before finding mainstream success with LMFAO, Bennett, born in Meopham, Kent, U.K., sang in local talent contests and appeared on The X Factor as a teenager, making it through to the final 12.