Flaming Lips Guitarist Steven Drozd’s Daughter, 16, Found After Going Missing Over the Weekend

Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips performs during the MTV, VH1, CMT & LOGO O Music awards in Memphis, Tenn., on June 27, 2012. Greg Campbell/Getty Images

Charlotte “Bowie” Drozd, the 16-year-old daughter of Flaming Lips guitarist Steven Drozd, has been found after going missing over the weekend in Seattle.

“She’s found and is safe.. her mother has [spoken] with her,” the rock band’s frontman, Wayne Coyne, wrote in a joint statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday.

“THANK YOU everyone for all your posts and all your networking and all your support and all your skills and all your trust and all your LOVE !!!”

Matt Duckworth Kirksey—who plays drums, keyboards, and percussion in the band—also took to Instagram to express his gratitude to fans.

“Bowie has been found, and is safe. That’s all I know at the moment,” the musician wrote. “Thanks to everyone who helped get the word out.”

According to a missing person alert issued by the Seattle Police Department via X on Oct. 6, Charlotte was last seen at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday in the 400 block of Broad Street, near the Space Needle, an observation tower in Seattle’s Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.

“MISSING: Charlotte, 16 y/o, WF, 5’9”, 140 lbs, brown eyes and long brown hair. Wearing khaki color shorts and pink shoes,” read the statement alongside a photo of the teen.

Coyne had previously asked fans for their help in locating Charlotte, urging anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to contact the Seattle Police Department.

“URGENT!!! Please help if you can !!! Steven’s daughter ( she is 16 years old ) is missing !!!” Coyne wrote in a joint statement posted to Instagram on Oct. 7. “I’ll post more info as soon as I can.”

Mourning Singer’s Death

Despite the uplifting news of Charlotte’s safe recovery, members of the Grammy Award-winning rock group, which was formed in Oklahoma City in 1983, are currently grieving the loss of fellow musician Nell Smith.

The 17-year-old singer-songwriter—who collaborated with The Flaming Lips on “Where the Viaduct Looms,” an album of Nick Cave cover songs released in November 2021—died on Oct. 5, her family confirmed in a statement posted to Instagram.

“It pains us so much to say that our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was cruelly taken from us on Saturday night. We are reeling from the news and don’t know what to do or say,” the statement reads.

“She had so much more to experience and to give this world but we are grateful that she got to experience so very much in her 17 years. She has left an indelible mark on the world and an unfillable chasm in our hearts. Hold your kids extra tight tonight.”

Nell’s family did not elaborate on her cause of death. However, during a Flaming Lips concert in Portland, Oregon, on Oct. 6, Coyne announced that the singer had tragically lost her life in a car accident.

“We have a very sad announcement to make tonight. We have a Canadian friend, her name is Nell. We recorded an amazing album with her three years ago, an album full of songs by Nick Cave. We have some very sad messages today—she was killed in a car accident last night,” Coyne said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“We are reminded once again of the power of music and how encouraging it can be to be around people that you love.”

Nell was gearing up to release her first solo album next year via Bella Union. The British independent record label’s co-founder, Simon Raymonde, penned a tribute to the young musician online, conveying his grief over her unexpected loss.

“We are all shocked and devastated to hear of the sudden and tragic passing of our artist and dear friend Nell Smith,” he wrote.

“While we all try and come to terms with the awful news, and out of respect to Nell’s grieving family, we are unable to make any further comments at this time.”