Allison Russell Posts Heartfelt Message, Takes Time to Heal Voice

Grammy-nominated songwriter and performer Allison Russell took to social media on Sunday (September 4) to share some news about her voice.

Russell, who has risen to fame and popularity with the release of the 2021 album, Outside Child, explained on the social media platform that she’s suffering from vocal cord ailments that could be permanently harmful if she doesn’t take a break from her constant touring and performances.

“Dear Friends, I am beyond devastated and sorry to tell you that I won’t be able to play my set at the @waterislifefestival in Duluth today,” she wrote on Facebook, “I have been struggling vocally on and off since March. At the urgent request of @brandicarlile ‘s (and many other brilliant singers) vocal coach extraordinaire @robertraab (who has generously been helping all of us on the road with Queen Brandi) I finally went to a specialist here in LA. I was scared to go because I felt that something was badly wrong and I was fearful of hearing it confirmed…

“I have been put on vocal rest and rehabilitation by my new otolaryngologist, @drshawnnasseri. Apparently, I suffered a vocal hemorrhage approx 2 weeks ago and have vocal nodes that are inflamed and on the verge of hemorrhaging again. Dr. Nasseri tells me that if I play back-to-back shows this weekend, I could do permanent, irrevocable damage. He gave me a steroid to get me through my set last night but wants me to be silent other than vocal rehab for the next week.

“It has been a particularly stressful, fraught, heartbreaking time in my world and I believe the unrelenting cortisol flood took its toll on my voice and body and spirit. Dr. Nasseri told me that I’ve been running a marathon on a broken ankle and if I continue as I am, it will destroy my voice and be the end of my career. The pictures of my suffering damaged vocal cords were deeply upsetting and terrifying. I have a dangerously high threshold for pain, it has been such a constant companion in my life, it feels familiar and normal. I did not realize how badly I was hurting myself. 

“The good news is that with some vocal rest and physio under the guidance of voice whisperer Raab —I should make a full recovery. I am not a trained musician or singer, I’ve always just followed my ears, instincts, intuition. I thought that was enough, but it is no longer sustainable. I will be working hard to get back to full powers over the next week and beyond, and will be learning and internalizing best preservative practices and techniques.”

Many on Facebook have commented, wishing Russell well and telling her to rest and heal up. As she notes, Russell is getting help from Brandi Carlile’s vocal coach. Carlile herself recently suffered from vocal cord issues, which she highlighted in her recent best-selling book, Broken Horses.

While it’s unclear how many shows Russell may have to miss, here is a link to her tour schedule, which will likely be updated in the coming days.

Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images