British singer Lauren Bennett, best known as a member of the girl group G.R.L. and for her featured vocals on LMFAO’s 2011 global smash Party Rock Anthem, died by suicide, a coroner’s inquest has concluded. She was 36.
Bennett was found dead in Kent on May 29. During the hearing at the Kent and Medway Coroners’ Court, Coroner Jyoti Gill read a statement from Bennett’s husband, Kenny Wormald, detailing the events of that morning. Wormald stated that his wife told him she was going out for a walk while he remained in bed. After several hours passed without her return and with calls and text messages going unanswered by both Wormald and multiple family members, Wormald used the Find My iPhone feature to track her device to a rural location, where he discovered her body.
Wormald, a professional dancer, noted that the couple usually communicated about everything and that there had been no direct indication she intended to end her life. However, investigators later discovered pages of farewell notes at their home.
The inquest revealed that Bennett had struggled with severe mental health issues prior to her death. Coroner Gill noted that the musician had previously been diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition known to cause anxiety, mood instability, and depression. In January, months before her death, Bennett suffered a prolonged period of insomnia lasting several days and was subsequently admitted to a hospital under a mental health section. According to testimony presented to the court, she reacted poorly to prescribed medication and expressed deep pessimism about her recovery. Toxicology reports confirmed that neither alcohol nor illicit drugs were present in her system at the time of her death.
Bennett achieved widespread recognition as a vocalist in the American pop girl group G.R.L., which gained prominence with the hit single Ugly Heart. She also collaborated with the members of LMFAO on Party Rock Anthem, contributing both vocals and an appearance in the popular music video, which has amassed more than 2.5 billion views on YouTube. The track spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2011 and was subsequently ranked by the publication as the fifth most successful song of all time.
Following her passing, members of G.R.L. shared a public tribute on their Instagram account in July, writing that their hearts were broken and expressing the deep impact she had on them.
