Q Lazzarus, the singer behind the cult-favorite 1988 single “Goodbye Horses,” which was featured in The Silence of the Lambs, has died at the age of 61.
An obituary for Lazzarus, whose real name was Diane Luckey, was published by the Jackson Funeral Home and appeared in the Asbury Park Press at the end of last month, with the paper stating that she died on July 19 after a short illness.
Eva Aridjis, a filmmaker and close friend to Lazzarus who shared the news with Rolling Stone, confirmed her death to EW.
“Over the past three years, Q became one of my closest friends and we were in touch almost daily,” Aridjis said in a statement. “Q had one of those life forces that you simply can’t imagine being extinguished or ceasing to exist, because it was so vital and radiant and exuberant.”
TRISTAR PICTURES Singer Q Lazzarus in ‘Philadelphia’
“Despite having had a very hard life, she was not jaded at all,” she continued. “On the contrary — she was full of enthusiasm, passion, and humor. And she was also full of plans. At the time of her death, we were planning a comeback concert with some of her original bandmates. I am heartbroken knowing I will never see her again, and I am devastated for her family.”
Before her death, Lazzarus had spent the past three years working with Aridjis to bring a documentary about her life and music to the screen. It is set to feature stories and never-before-released music from the late singer.
“We were just preparing to film the final scenes when she tragically and unexpectedly passed away,” Aridjis said. “As her collaborator, I am now more determined than ever to get her incredible story and amazing music out into the world.”
A Neptune, N.J., native, Lazzarus moved to New York at the age of 18 to pursue a career in music. Her songs were prominently featured in director Jonathan Demme‘s films, including “The Candle Goes Away” (from 1986’s Something Wild), her cover of the Talking Heads song “Heaven” (from 1993’s Philadelphia), and the iconic “Goodbye Horses,” which appeared in a memorable scene from 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs in which serial killer Buffalo Bill is applying makeup and flirting with himself in the mirror.
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Lazzarus reportedly met Demme during her stint as a cab driver when she picked up the filmmaker in the middle of a snowstorm one evening. After hearing her music playing on a cassette in the car, Demme said he liked the songs and inquired about the artist. “Well, thank you very much. It’s me,” Lazzarus replied, setting off a long-running collaborative relationship.
The singer has remained largely under the radar for much of the past two decades, resulting in a Dazed feature that tracked down her whereabouts.
Aridjis had a run-in with Lazzarus similar to that of Demme. “Not even her best friends or bandmates knew what had happened to her,” the filmmaker said, adding, “In August 2019, I got into a car service Q was driving and after chatting with her for a few minutes I figured out that it was her.”
“We both felt that our meeting was fated,” she said. Shortly after, the two started work on the documentary, set to be released next year.
“Q had a spirit that was truly unique and irreplaceable, not just for her loved ones in their daily lives but to the creative community as a whole,” Aridjis said. “I am glad that the world will still get to hear her story in her own words and through her own songs — a precious task which she entrusted me with and which I will be forever grateful for.”
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