Party Rock Anthem Singer Lauren Bennett's Death Under Investigation

When Lauren Bennett’s name surfaced in headlines this week, it wasn’t for a new collaboration or tour announcement—it was the kind of news that stops you cold. The musician behind one of the early 2010s’most infectious pop moments has died at 36, and her death is now the subject of an official investigation by the Kent and Medway Coroner Service in England.

Bennett passed away on May 29 in Meopham, though the investigation didn’t open until June 12. UK authorities tell us that process will continue until October 30, meaning answers could still be months away. A private memorial service in London was held roughly a week and a half ago, where her family and closest friends—including former bandmates from G.R.L. and Paradiso Girls—gathered to celebrate her life.

It’s easy to remember Bennett’s breakout moment: that 2011 feature on LMFAO’s“Party Rock Anthem,”a song that became synonymous with peak-era electronic pop and dominated the year. But her career was far more layered than one viral hit. She’d started young, forming Paradiso Girls at just 18 in 2007, then went solo in 2010, working alongside major artists like CeeLo Green and will.i.am. When she joined G.R.L., the group became known for earworm tracks like“Vacation”and“Lighthouse”before disbanding in 2015.

Her most recent project, a solo single called“Hurricane,”reflected something deeper than chart-chasing pop. Bennett said the song was inspired by her mother’s and a friend’s mental health struggles—a reminder that the artists we follow often carry personal weight we never see.

G.R.L. released a statement Monday acknowledging her passing:“We cannot begin to express how much she meant to us. We will forever cherish the love, laughter, and countless memories she gave us.”For those who grew up with her music, that sentiment likely echoes their own reflection. A career that began with“Party Rock Anthem”at its peak now exists in the past tense, leaving fans and fellow musicians to grieve what was lost and hold onto what she created.