They were just in Australia in April.
Trigger warning: This post deals with suicide
Girl band G.R.L has split, nine months after the death of band member Simone Battle.
Battle was 25 when she took her own life on September 5 last year.
Following Battle’s death, the remaining band members Lauren Bennett, Emmalyn Estrada, Natasha Slayton and Paula van Oppen released the single Lighthouse as a tribute to her and continued to tour as a quartet.
“Nearly 9 months following the tragic death of band member Simone Battle, girl group G.R.L. announces today that they are disbanding,” Kemosabe Records, RCA Records, managers Larry Rudolph and Robin Antin said in a statement to Billboard.
“We wish them continued success in each of their next creative endeavors.”
Members of the group hailed from the UK, Canada and the US and GRL was formed by Robin Antin, the creator of The Pussycat Dolls.
Battle was born in Los Angeles and appeared on US X-Factor before joining the band.
“Words cannot express the depth of our loss. Simone’s incredible talent was only surpassed by the size of her heart. We will carry her memory with us in everything we do,” G.R.L. tweeted at the time of Battle’s death.
The last performances of the group were in Australia. G.R.L. supported All About That Bass singer Meghan Trainor on the Australian leg of her tour in April.
Lauren Bennett indicated late last month that G.R.L. might not have a future.
“Thank u all for ridin with GRL thru the tough times.. I know it’s all a bit confusing but I love you all, and care never forget,” she tweeted on May 30.
In January, the G.R.L. members spoke about how they were blindsided by Battle’s death.
“You can never prepare yourself for something like this, ever,” Bennett told People magazine.
“We’d just been in rehearsals the day before, learning choreography for our show, and the next day we were starting the morning as usual when we got the call.”
The band all underwent therapy to deal with Battle’s death.
“She was such a strong woman, and very independent, and we had no idea what she was going through, or her pain,” van Oppen said.
“We admire how prideful she was, but now we just wish she’d let us in a little bit so maybe we could have helped her.”
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More on Simone Battle?
G.R.L. band member Simone Battle has died, aged 25.
A cynical marketing attempt to profit from the suicide of a young girl.
For anyone contemplating suicide, please read about Nellie Bishop.