The pop world just lost a defining voice of the 2010s club era. Lauren Bennett, the English singer who powered LMFAO’s inescapable global smash “Party Rock Anthem,” has died at 36. Her passing actually occurred on May 29, 2026. The tragic news, however, remained completely private until Monday, July 6.
That is when her former G.R.L. bandmates finally broke their silence. Natasha Slayton, Emmalyn Estrada, and Paula van Oppen shared a joint social media statement on Instagram. They expressed their broken hearts, reflecting on the love, laughter, and countless memories she brought to their lives.
Bennett’s vocal hooks anchored a highly specific era of pop. Before joining Robin Antin’s hitmaker group G.R.L., she cut her teeth with the Paradiso Girls. There, she scored the 2009 club track “Patron Tequila” alongside Lil Jon and Eve. But “Party Rock Anthem” truly cemented her pop-culture legacy. That single absolutely dominated the charts, holding the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks.
This loss marks the second heartbreaking tragedy for G.R.L. The group originally disbanded shortly after the 2014 death of fellow member Simone Battle, who died by suicide at just 25. Bennett later helped reform the group to honor Battle’s memory, delivering pop staples like “Ugly Heart” and collaborating with Pitbull on “Wild Wild Love.”
Representatives have not disclosed an official cause of death. Bennett leaves behind her six-year-old daughter, Harlow, whom she shared with dancer and “Footloose” actor Kenny Wormald.