Justin Timberlake’s friend and backup singer, Nicole Hurst, passed away this week. Justin made a post on Instagram mourning her loss and sharing some thoughts on his friend.

On Friday, Justin posted several photos and videos of Nicole, including snippets of them on tour and of the band serenading Nicole on her birthday.

“My heart is so heavy. We lost a beautiful soul this week. Nicole lit up every room she walked into. On and off the stage she was a constant source of joy and positivity,” Justin wrote. “Nicole, it’s not enough to say that I am going to miss you dearly. Thank you for your light. I will do my best to carry that with me. I love you, my sister. Forever family and forever a TN Kid.”

Hurst cause of death is not confirmed, but she’d discussed her battle with breast cancer openly. “I was diagnosed with Stage 2 triple-positive breast cancer,” she said in an interview with ABC 13 Houston in 2015. ”I had four months of chemo followed by my surgery which I had a mastectomy. Even while I was on chemotherapy my tumor doubled in size.” Later that year, Hurst said she was in remission.

©Nicole Hurst

In 2019, Hurst made a post on Instagram, where she explained that her cancer had returned. “These pictures aren’t throwbacks from 2014, but from this year, literally from the 2nd day in January when my world was once again completely flipped upside down,” she wrote.

“My battle isn‘t over yet, and I don’t know what the future holds...really none of us do. But I know by the grace of God, along with the unrelenting support from my incredible family and friends, I’m fighting this thang with everything in me.”

Nicole Hurst had a prolific music career. She performed in the Super Bowl alongside Justin Timberlake and joined him on tour across different states. She also worked alongside Kelly Clarkson.