LeAnn Rimes has offered fans a new update on her health, just two weeks after she had to pull out of scheduled performances because of what she described as a ‘severe’ illness.
At the start of the month, the country singer revealed she’d been diagnosed with severe laryngitis. With her voice affected, she made the decision to cancel upcoming shows to avoid further strain and focus on recovery.
But in a May 12 post on Substack, Rimes indicated the past couple of weeks haven’t been an easy turnaround, sharing how she’s feeling now and why decisions about future dates remain difficult.
“I am f***ing raw,” Rimes 43, told her fans. “My throat, my esophagus, my heart… hell, I even have a blister on my heel,” she continued. “Oh, and I’m on my period, too. When it rains, it pours.”
She then went on to add, “I feel like life has stripped me down and stripped everything back for the moment. This whole illness has been incredibly humbling. One minute you’re moving through your routines, checking boxes, handling what’s next… and the next, your body simply says, ‘No more.’ No powering through… no performing…. no pretending you’re fine …. just rawness.”
With another performance looming only days away, she acknowledged the pressure she feels as a performer, especially while her voice still isn’t back to normal and she worries about disappointing the people who planned to see her.
Even with her doctor advising additional rest, Rimes admitted the choice to pause is rarely straightforward, as she weighs the pull to show up against the need to protect her health.
“For over 30 years, one of the toughest decisions and hardest inner battles I’ve faced every time I get sick and have shows scheduled is deciding whether to cancel/reschedule or perform, when I know good and well that performing while still half sick is not in my best interest in the long run,” Rimes explained. “For years, I’ve overridden my body and mind, performing at times when I knew I shouldn’t, out of fear of disappointing my fans, who mean so much to me.”
“My health has to come first or I risk possible, real injury by singing on swollen and irritated tissue,” Rimes wrote, before admitting she’s taking it ‘day by day.’
Despite feeling unwell, Rimes also reflected on what the downtime has unexpectedly given her, describing a sense of clarity that’s come with slowing down. “My brain feels clear, my body feels honest and all the emotions are present,” she continued. “There’s no numbing, no muting, no escaping… just me, sitting in the middle of all of it. And while that has felt wildly uncomfortable at times, it’s also felt strangely sacred.”
She also addressed fans who were meant to attend one of the affected shows, saying the change of plans wasn’t made lightly and that she’s mindful of the support people have shown her throughout the years.
“If you were supposed to be at one of these shows over the past 3 weeks, please know that making the decision to reschedule was not easy for me. Every fiber of me wants to push through, show up and sing anyway. But at 43, I know that honoring my body instead of overriding it is the wiser choice… for my voice, my health and ultimately for all of you too.”