American singer Barry Manilow has revealed a profound sense of loss following his lung cancer diagnosis last December, stating that a "part of himself isn't here". The 82-year-old music icon discovered a cancerous spot on his lung during a routine scan for a hip issue, a finding he credits with saving his life.
Manilow, who has since undergone treatment, expressed gratitude for not requiring chemotherapy, describing himself as "lucky". The unexpected diagnosis prompted a deep reflection on life's fragility for the veteran performer.
Speaking to US outlet People, he shared: "You just don’t even think about (how fragile life is), and suddenly, you have lung cancer. But I’m still here. I’m not all here, there’s part of me that isn’t here — they took out a part of me, and now I’ve got to figure out, ‘what do I do?’"
Despite this personal challenge, Manilow is set to release his first album in 15 years, titled What A Time, in June. This marks his 33rd studio album and includes a collaboration with Take That frontman Gary Barlow.
The star emphasised the critical role of the doctor who performed his scan, stating they "saved my life", as he had experienced no symptoms of the disease and "could go on" without knowing.
Reflecting on the impact of his diagnosis, Manilow added: "It has really, really made me take stock of my life. This made me stop and think about, have I done what I wanted to do, and have I made people happy?
“Have I been a good friend? All of those cornball things that I’ve read for all of my life, I started to think about that, too. It really did stop me in my tracks, and the answers are yes, and as a matter of fact, there are more yeses than I ever thought."
This period of introspection follows a significant career milestone in 2023, when Manilow surpassed Elvis Presley’s record for most shows performed in Las Vegas, with 636, during his ongoing residency at the Westgate casino and resort. With a career spanning since the early 1960s, including seven UK top 10 albums and over 85 million records sold worldwide, the Grammy winner continues to leave an indelible mark on the music industry.
