Singer Lauren Bennett, known for her role in the girl group GRL and her feature on LMFAO's 2011 hit "Party Rock Anthem," was remembered at a private memorial service in London. Bennett died on May 29 in Kent, England, at the age of 36. The service, held approximately a week and a half after her death, was attended by her former GRL bandmates, Emma Bunton, Natasha Slayton, and Paula Van Oppen, as well as members of her earlier group, Paradiso Girls.
During the ceremony, guests released balloons with messages for Bennett. A large display featured a photo of the singer with the inscription, "Celebrating the Life of Lauren Bennett. Forever Loved. Forever With Us." A formal inquest into the circumstances of her death has been scheduled for October 30.
The cause of Bennett's death has not yet been publicly announced. Her former bandmates confirmed her passing in a statement expressing their deep sadness and cherished memories. "Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us," the statement read. "Her beautiful spirit touched so many lives, and she will be deeply missed and forever loved."
Bennett first gained attention in the music industry with the short-lived girl group The Paradiso Girls in 2009, which released the single "Patron Tequila." She later became a member of GRL, formed by Robin Antin as a reboot of The Pussycat Dolls. GRL contributed the song "Vacation" to "The Smurfs 2" soundtrack and collaborated with Pitbull on the 2014 track "Wild Wild Love." Their song "Ugly Heart" reached number two on the Australian charts.
Bennett's most significant musical success came with her feature on LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" in 2011, which spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Following Bennett's death, former bandmate Aria Crescendo shared a tribute on Instagram, writing, "RIP Lauren my sister my best friend I can’t believe you left us."
This passing occurs 12 years after the death of GRL bandmate Simone Battle, who died by suicide at age 25 in 2014. Bennett had previously spoken about the profound grief and shock following Battle's death, recalling the difficulty of processing the loss after having rehearsed with Battle the day before her passing. In 2015, Bennett and the remaining GRL members reformed briefly with a new member and released a track, but the group eventually disbanded again.
Bennett is survived by her six-year-old daughter, Harlow, whom she shared with dancer and actor Kenny Wormald.