Annabelle Hawkins Is Taylor Hawkins' Daughter Who Wanted One of Dad's Songs to Be about Her
Annabelle Hawkins and her family suffered a significant loss when her dad, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, died last year. Her brother once rejected a song Taylor made for him, and afterward, she asked her dad to write one about her.
Annabelle Hawkins' father passed on March 25, 2022. He died during his band's South American tour in Bogota, Columbia. The late Foo Fighters drummer was found unresponsive in his hotel room.
Although there were few details publicly available surrounding his death, initial findings pointed to an overdose. Taylor's passing was announced through his band's official channels, where they expressed deep sorrow over the loss and requested privacy on behalf of his family as they mourned.
(L-R) Taylor Hawkins, Annabelle Hawkins and Alison Hawkins are pictured at the Los Angeles Premiere of "Studio 666" at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 16, 2022, in Hollywood, California | Source: Getty Images
His wife Alison and his children Oliver Shane, Annabelle, and Everleigh survived him. Annabelle's brother, Oliver Shane, honored his dad as he took his place on the drummer's seat during the all-star tribute concert at the London Wembley Stadium.
The event took place on September 3, 2022, and was broadcast on several channels, including Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Annabelle got to honor her dad slightly differently, as the song he once wrote for her was chosen as the lead single for his solo album, "Get the Money."
Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters is pictured as he performs onstage at the after party for the Los Angeles premiere of "Studio 666" at the Fonda Theatre on February 16, 2022, in Hollywood, California | Source: Getty Images
Annabelle Wanted One of Dad's Songs to Be about Her
During a chat with Joe Daily, Taylor spoke about writing music for his children. He first recorded a song about his son and sent it to his former colleague, Josh Homme, for approval before letting him listen to it. Oliver Shane's feedback was "harsh," as he recalled:
"He was like, 'Are you recording a song for the Shrek soundtrack?' I was like, 'Harsh!' So that's two thumbs down."
Oliver Shane protested the emotional tones in the song, which almost went on Taylor's album "Get that Money," saying if his dad wanted to make a record about him, it had to "sound like Metallica."
On the other hand, when Annabelle demanded one in her honor, Taylor joked that she was acting like a middle child: "seeking attention and approval." Still, he understood why she behaved that way.
He mentioned Oliver Shane constantly being in trouble and her younger sister being "cute as [expletive]," perhaps alluding to how he and Alison directed most of their attention toward her other siblings.
So he decided to call the same track Oliver Shane rejected, "Middle Child," and tweaked the lyrics to that effect. The origins of "Middle Child" date back to around 2013 before Taylor picked it up again. He shared some of its final lyrics during his interview, singing:
"You looked lost when you got home yesterday/You came to me, I knew just what to say/My little twin I’m here with you/Stay close and we will see it through/How I love you middle child/I see angels when you smile/"
He thought it was a beautiful jam. The United Kingdom chose it as the lead single of "Get the Money," and Taylor shared the exciting news with Annabelle, as he told Joe Daily. Her baby sister, Everleigh, was part of its music video.
Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters is pictured as he performs on stage, on January 16, 2016, in Los Angeles, California, | Source: Getty Images
Annabelle Is The 'Middle Child'
Annabelle's exact birthdate is unknown, but she will reportedly be 14 by this year's end. Oliver Shane was named after his dad, as Taylor's first name is also Oliver. He was likely born in 2006, as he celebrated his 16th birthday last year. Everleigh will be nine as of 2023.
Her Mom Shared a Tearful Statement after Her Dad's Death
After the Foo Fighters announced Taylor's death, many messages of condolences for the Hawkins family started flooding social media from fans and other rock stars, including Sharon Osbourne's husband, the "cool" granddad of nine, Ozzy Osbourne, and Billy Idol.
After a short while, Alison also released a heartfelt statement, acknowledging the outpour of love from the Foo Fighters community worldwide. She said the support gave her family "invaluable comfort" as they mourned, adding:
"As Taylor's wife, I want to share how much you meant to him and how dedicated he was to 'blowing your socks off' during every performance. Taylor was honored to be a part of the Foo Fighters and valued his dream role in the band every minute of 25 years with them."
Alison added that his "deep love of music" and "endearing spirit" would live on through his collaborations with other musicians and the musical projects to which he contributed. Before concluding, she urged his followers to honor his legacy as they celebrated his life.
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