Taylor Red Singer Nicole Taylor Dies at 35 After Battle With Breast Cancer

Nicole Taylor, the lead singer of the country trio Taylor Red and a syndicated morning radio host, has died at 35 after a four-year battle with breast cancer, leaving the viral band without its frontwoman and Taste of Country without a co-host, CTV News reported.

Her identical triplet sisters and bandmates, Nika and Natalie Taylor, announced the death Tuesday, revealing that Nicole died on Sept. 28 in Nashville, Tennessee. “Nicole, the oldest of us three sisters, will be greatly missed. She was our leader and our best friend,” the sisters said in a statement. “We are heartbroken, but we know she is in Heaven and will see her again.”

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The loss cuts across the country music act that amassed 16.7 million YouTube subscribers and the broadcast radio career Nicole began in 2024.

From Mississippi Roots to 16.7 Million Subscribers

The identical triplets grew up in Mississippi before moving to Nashville, beginning their musical journey in 2010 under the name Red Roots, NBC News reported. As a Christian country band, they performed as Red Roots for eight years until 2018, when they shifted toward mainstream country and rebranded as Taylor Red, CTV News reported. Though the band’s music is no longer explicitly Christian, the sisters continue to maintain their faith.

Nicole Taylor Dies at 35: Taylor Red Singer Remembered After Breast Cancer Battle

Their breakthrough came in 2021 when their song “Country Money” went viral on social media. The group built a social media brand blending music with prank videos, food tastings, lifestyle content, and what their “about page” calls “all the relatable sister moments you can handle.” Their sound is described as “young, fun, and country.” The YouTube channel grew to 16.7 million subscribers, while on Spotify, Taylor Red averages about 2,100 monthly listeners.

Diagnosed in 2022, Dead by September 2026

Nicole was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2022, a revelation the sisters shared in a Tuesday Instagram video. “We honestly thought she’d be healed here on Earth but now she’s healed in heaven,” Nika and Natalie said in the video, according to CTV News. Natalie told Global News that when Nicole received the diagnosis, she said, “God’s going to use this for his glory.”

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She responded well to initial treatments and was declared free of disease, Nika told Global News, but nine months later the cancer returned as stage 4. Throughout her treatment, Nicole maintained a CrossFit routine during chemotherapy and, after learning the cancer had progressed, “tried not to live in fear” and “remained really hopeful,” her bandmates said. She told her sisters, “We’re not going to live in dread during all of this.”

According to Women’s College Hospital, as cited by Global News, metastatic breast cancer occurs when cancer cells spread from the original tumor to other parts of the body, such as the bones, lungs, brain or liver, traveling through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. When doctors gave Nicole a prognosis of around three months, she told them, “everyone is going to face judgement and I’m ready to.”

Natalie recounted to NBC News the moment Nicole learned her biopsy results: “I remember we were out in a public place, and she got a phone call from the nurse about her biopsy results. And she was like, ‘You have cancer.’ I remember just breaking down in utter shock.” Nika added that the treatment process involved “so many MRIs, scans, treatments, appointments that you have to go through, and it’s very stressful.”

According to the band’s website, Nicole died Sept. 28, and her family held a private ceremony in her honor. “She’s at peace and no longer suffering, so we’re thankful for that,” the sisters said, and Natalie noted that “Nicole told us soon before she passed that she had peace, and we are really thankful for that.”

Taylor Red’s Nicole Taylor Dies At 35 After Breast Cancer Battle

A Radio Career in Nashville

Beyond the band, Nicole had joined Taste of Country in 2024 as co-host of the syndicated morning show “Taste of Country Mornings with Wood and Nicole,” part of Townsquare Media’s programming. Colleagues at the outlet shared memories in a tribute published Tuesday. Co-host Wood wrote, “I was lucky enough to call Nicole more than a co-host, she was a true friend,” adding, “I admire the ways her brain worked, and pushed me to work hard and refine my professional craft.” He noted that their favorite conversations “weren’t about work, but about God,” adding, “Something we have in common is our deep love for Jesus.”

Chuck Armstrong, host of Loudwire Nights, recalled sitting in on the show’s inaugural episode and being impressed by her demeanor: “I don’t think there is anything that could have put a frown on her face and it was clear she was always focused on making sure those around her were happy and enjoying life.” Editorial Director Rabab Al-Sharif remembered Nicole as “welcoming and she was kind, showing the love of Jesus to everyone she came in contact with,” concluding, “She was truly a light and a gift to all. We will miss you, Nicole!” Armstrong added, “She was and will always be a bright light in this world and I’m so grateful to have gotten to spend time with her over the last couple of years.”

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As of the announcement Tuesday, Taylor Red’s YouTube channel remains active with its 16.7 million subscribers, and the sisters’ Instagram video announcing Nicole’s death has drawn renewed attention to the band’s Christian roots and the aggressive cancer that claimed her life at 35.

Disclaimer: The cultural analyses and financial data presented in this article are based on available public records and industry metrics at the time of publication.