Growing up the daughter of Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson, Carnie Wilson continued her family’s musical legacy when she co-founded the pop trio Wilson Phillips in 1989. Although the group’s time was short-lived, they managed to score three #1 hits before disbanding four years later. Just three months after her father’s death in June 2025, the “Hold On” singer, 57, experienced a health scare of her own.
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Carnie Wilson Reveals Recent Hospital Stay
Taking to social media Wednesday, Sept. 24, Carnie Wilson informed followers that she had recently undergone lap-band removal surgery. Lap-band surgery, or gastric banding, is a type of weight-loss surgery that uses an implanted device to restrict the amount of food you are able to eat.
Although Wilson called the surgery overall “a great success,” the singer and TV personality revealed that she had to return to the hospital due to high blood pressure and swelling in her legs.
“It was very scary, but after a couple of days there, we changed the meds. And the swelling has gone down —like, almost gone,” Wilson said.
Stressing that she was “finally over the hump,” Carnie Wilson added, “It was intense. They found an ulcer in there. It doesn’t surprise me with all the stress I’ve had this year. And they actually found an obstruction with food inside the lap band. That makes me want to barf, but anyway, I’m so grateful right now and so lucky… I am just so, so lucky to have gotten through this. It really put a new perspective on some health things for me… I’m recovering, it’s going great.”
Carnie Wilson Will Celebrate Her Dad
Carnie Wilson didn’t specify whether her recent health issues would affect Saturday’s (Sept. 27) performance at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, California. Along with her sister, Wendy Wilson, and other extended family members, the “Release Me” singer will participate in “An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson & the Songs of the Beach Boys With Family and Friends.”
“We’ve always loved the music so much, and we feel very proud that we’ve carried on his legacy for the better part of 40 years,” Carnie Wilson told Rock Cellar magazine earlier this month. “Even though we’ve had our own records and big hits, he’s always been the driving force. We wouldn’t have had anything without the love of harmony, and feeling so connected to our father in that way has always been very special to us.
Featured image by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
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