GRL star Lauren Bennett dies as bandmates deliver devastating tribute
The musician shot to fame as a member of the girl group, The Paradiso Girls, in 2007.
GRL singer Lauren Bennett has sadly died at the age of 37, her bandmates have confirmed. On Monday (July 6), the band took to social media to issue a heartbreaking statement to their loyal legion of fans online. It read: "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."
It is not yet known how the musician died. Bennett first shot to fame back in 2007 when she joined the girl group, The Paradiso Girls. But 12 months on, the six-member group was cut to just five members, before the group went their separate ways and disbanded in 2011. The split pushed the blonde bombshell to pursue a solo career, during which she appeared in a remix of Will.I.Am's hit single, I Got It From My Mama.
This paved the way for her music career as the next up-and-coming star. She went on to work with LMFAO and featured on their smash hit, Party Rock Anthem, which became her first Number One hit single in the UK. She later featured in the Pussycat Dolls fitness DVD, where she formed a connection with founder Robin Antin.
Her friendship with Antin soon led to further musical success when he formed the group GRL, made up of Bennett and her bandmates Natasha Slayton, Emmalyn Estrada, Paula van Oppen and the late Simone Battle. In June 2013, the group released their debut single, Vacation, which featured in The Smurf's 2, boosting their fame across the globe.
They went on to top the charts before collaborating with Pitbull on the single, Wild Wild Love, which charted in the Top 10 in the UK, where Lauren was born. Their next smash hit was the track Ugly Heart, which certified the group as the biggest girl group of their time, earning four platinum certifications.
But their success didn't come without its trials and tribulations. In 2014, Lauren's bandmate Simone Battle was tragically found dead at her home in West Hollywood at the height of their fame. A coroner later ruled Simone's death a suicide, which prompted the group to launch the Give an Hour campaign - GRL Gives an Hour, dedicated to raising awareness of mental health struggles.
The group also honoured Battle with their next single, Lighthouse. Following the disbandment of GRL, Bennett went on to relaunch her solo career with her single Hurricane. Speaking about the group's ending, Bennett told the press: "After GRL 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. 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."
While keeping herself in the public eye, Lauren also maintained privacy in her private life. In 2019, the singer and her partner, Footloose star Kenny Wormald, announced they were expecting their first child together. On September 6, 2019, their daughter, Harlow, was born. Bennett is survived by her daughter and partner, Kenny.
