Taylor Red country singer Nicole Taylor dies at 35 after breast cancer

The announcement

Nicole Taylor, a singer with the country band Taylor Red, died at the age of 35. Her sisters, Natalie and Nika Taylor, announced the death on Monday, 2 November, in a video shared on social media, saying she had died on 28 September at her home in Nashville, Tennessee. The sisters said they were shocked and heartbroken by the news and had not expected it. Natalie Taylor described the family's reaction in the video.

“We thought she'd be here sharing her story of earthly healing.”

The sisters added that Nicole was at peace and no longer suffering, a point they said left the family grateful.

Diagnosis and final months

Nicole Taylor was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. Nika Taylor said the cancer was stage three at diagnosis and described it as very aggressive, and it later progressed to stage four. According to the sisters, Nicole kept doing CrossFit during chemotherapy, responded well to treatment and was at one point declared free of the disease. Her condition later worsened, but the sisters said she tried not to live in fear, stayed hopeful, travelled, worked hard and tried to enjoy life. They said she told them she had found great peace, which they described as a source of gratitude.

The band

The sisters, from Hurley, Mississippi, formed the band in 2010 under the name Red Roots, with Nicole as lead vocalist, and she also played guitar, banjo and violin. They released the album Red Roots in 2011, followed by The Middle of Nowhere in 2012 and Triplicity in 2014. The group changed its name to Taylor Red in 2018 and is signed to the Nashville-based Christian music label Inpop Records. In 2021 their song Country Money went viral on TikTok, and the band's best-known songs include Country Money and Rent Free. Although they had not released a full-length album since 2014, the band played more than 1,000 live concerts across America and internationally, and its YouTube channel has more than 16 million subscribers.

Tributes from her sisters

In the video, Nika Taylor thanked fans for their prayers and the doctors and nurses who cared for Nicole during her illness. Nika said Nicole was very black and white about what she believed and was not one to overthink things. The sisters described Nicole as their fearless leader and said the first instrument she learned growing up was the drums.

“We want to thank y'all for your prayers and we want to thank the doctors and nurses who helped her along the way.”

The sisters, who are triplets, have not said when or where a funeral or memorial will take place.