Singer Michael Kiwanuka has revealed he had a stroke after battling a “severe” brain injury.
The celebrated musician, 39, said the stroke was brought on by his high blood pressure, which triggered a bleed on the brain.
The Cold Little Heart singer was unsure whether he could return to touring due to the “long and tough” recovery process, but insisted he is “fighting to get better”.
Kiwanuka shared his recent health battles while announcing that he is releasing his fifth album, Fudge.
“I’m very happy to be announcing to you my new album Fudge. I’m especially happy because the last few months I’ve been battling some health problems which would heavily hinder and get in the way of me making music for the foreseeable future,” he wrote on Instagram.
He then revealed: “A few months ago I suffered a stroke brought on by a bleed in my brain brought on by high blood pressure.”
Kiwanuka went on: “It’s a long journey recovering from a stroke, which is why I missed some gigs recently out in the US, but I look forward to seeing you all soon.
“I’m not sure when I’ll be able to be back out on the road or what that will look like, the brain injury I suffered was quite severe so there’s a lot of rehab to be done.
“It’s a long, tough journey ahead but I’m fighting to get better. It has been a difficult few months I must say but it feels like I’m on my way there now.
“I want to say a special thank you to all the incredible NHS staff and every single medical professional who has helped care for me and continue to help and encourage me in my recovery. And thank you to my friends and family for their continued support and to my team who will keep you updated with all things Fudge related.”
He captioned it: “A letter from Michael. More news to come on Fudge tomorrow.”
Kiwanuka - whose critically-acclaimed fourth album, Small Changes, was released in 2024 - was forced to cancel a slew of tour dates last summer after struggling with “continued illness”.
The singer-songwriter said that “on the advice of doctors”, he would be unable to perform the shows.
“We know this is disappointing news to hear, and nobody is more disappointed and saddened than Michael to no longer be taking to the stage as planned,” he penned. “Love and thanks to everyone for their understanding.”
In March 2020, he postponed several UK tour dates - including a headline slot at the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival - after being diagnosed with acute viral laryngitis. He eventually performed the rescheduled shows in 2022.
Kiwanuka shot to fame with his debut album, Home Again, which was nominated for a Brit Award, the Mercury Prize and Mobo Awards. His second album Love & Hate, topped the charts in the UK, while third record, Kiwanuka, was nominated for a Grammy.
