Nivea Opens Up About Leukemia Diagnosis
R&B singer Nivea has shared that she was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year, but remains optimistic and focused on her music and education.
R&B veteran Nivea recently revealed that she has been diagnosed with leukemia. The singer opened up about her private health battle during a candid appearance on Cadillac Chronicles, where she also treated fans to performances of her signature hits, including “Don’t Mess With My Man” and “Complicated.”
When asked about what she is currently grateful for, Nivea shared a message of resilience and faith. “I was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year, and I’m so grateful to God. I’ve been going through treatment and everything has been going great so far and I expect it to continue,” she explained.
This health journey has provided the singer with a renewed perspective on life, fueling her drive to pursue new creative and academic goals. “I live in gratitude religiously. I’m just grateful for everything,” she continued. “I’m doing things I want to do. I’m definitely back into my music. I’m going to school for audio engineering. I’ve always wanted to learn how to engineer — mix engineer, in particular.”
According to medical experts, leukemia is a type of blood cancer that originates in the bone marrow, where blood cells are produced. The condition is generally categorized into acute and chronic types, depending on the speed of progression.
Reflecting on her musical catalog, Nivea discussed her 2019 album, Mirrors, and her recent standalone tracks like “Killa” and “Virginia.” While she expressed some dissatisfaction with the production quality of Mirrors, she remains proud of the project’s emotional depth. “Mirrors was a mess, chyle. The mix was trash,” she admitted. “The mix just did not come together… because it was rushed and I was all over the place mentally. I’m also still proud of the record because a lot of the songs definitely expressed different things I was going through.”
As she looks toward the future, Nivea is preparing to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her self-titled debut album in February 2027. That project famously featured the Jagged Edge-assisted smash “Don’t Mess With My Man,” which solidified her place in R&B history by peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.