Lauren Bennett’s grieving father has revealed heartbreaking new details about the singer’s death at just 36, claiming she suffered a severe reaction to prescribed medication months before she died.
Bennett, best known for appearing on LMFAO’s massive 2011 hit Party Rock Anthem, died in May. Her father, Richard Bennett, said Wednesday that the family has no suspicions about the circumstances surrounding her death, but he is “deeply disappointed” by the medical care she received in the months leading up to it.
“Months before her death, Lauren experienced a severe reaction to a prescribed medication,” Richard said.
“As a family, we all rallied around her and did everything we could to support her. We have no suspicions regarding the circumstances of her death, only deep disappointment that, for five months, medical professionals and NHS services failed to treat her appropriately during her time of greatest need.”
It is not clear what medication Bennett had been taking.
Richard said his daughter was “deeply loved” and would be missed by her family “every day for the rest of our lives.”
“I hope she will be remembered for her remarkable achievements, her beautiful music, and the incredible person she was,” he added. “Her legacy lives on through her daughter, her family, and through the music she leaves behind.”
The devastated father also reflected on the moment he first realized his daughter had star power. He said Lauren began performing professionally at just 12 years old, and watching her grow into a successful artist became one of the greatest joys of his life.
“Her achievements in the music industry were beyond our wildest dreams and continue to make me so proud,” he said.
Richard has asked for privacy and respect as the family continues to grieve.
Bennett’s death is now under investigation. The inquiry was opened on June 12 and is being handled by the Kent and Medway Coroner Service. An inquest is expected to continue until Oct. 30. Her official cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Her former girl group, G.R.L., announced her death Monday in an emotional Instagram statement.
“Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us,” Paula van Oppen, Natasha Slayton and Emmalyn Estrada wrote. “We will forever cherish the love, laughter, and countless memories she gave us.”
G.R.L. was together for two years before breaking up after the devastating death of member Simone Battle, who died by suicide at 25 in September 2014. The surviving members later reunited in 2016 and continued touring.
Bennett also went on to form the duo BENNETT with her brother Ryan in 2017. Their sound blended folk, country, blues and rock.
The singer, who was originally from Meopham in Kent, England, leaves behind her 6-year-old daughter, Harlow, whom she shared with dancer and Footloose actor Kenny Wormald.
Tributes have poured in from fans and fellow performers, including Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger, who mourned Bennett in an Instagram comment.
“Oh angel,” Scherzinger wrote, adding broken-heart and prayer emojis.
Bennett’s final Instagram post came in February, when she shared a cover of Nancy Sinatra’s classic These Boots Were Made for Walkin’.
For millions of fans, Bennett will forever be remembered for her role in Party Rock Anthem, the smash hit from LMFAO that became one of the defining songs of the early 2010s. The track spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped charts in 20 countries.
Now, her family is left mourning a daughter, mother and artist gone far too soon — while still waiting for answers about what happened in her final months.