Carly Simon has broken her silence on her health, revealing diagnoses of Parkinson's disease and a form of skin cancer. The 83-year-old singer of "You're So Vain" issued a statement to fans, confirming she is living with Parkinson's and had basal cell carcinoma removed from her face.
"So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing. The truth is, I've been learning how to live with Parkinson's disease," Simon began in her personal message. "It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly. Parkinson's is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable. Some days I'm so tired I can't get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself."
Parkinson's Diagnosis
Simon recalled to People how she first noticed symptoms after undergoing surgery for arthritis. She had both knees and one hip replaced. "After three replacement surgeries, I assumed my difficulty walking was simply an unfortunate and rather ironic part of the recovery process. But my mobility continued to worsen. I had trouble standing up from low chairs and deep couches without someone offering me an arm. Overstuffed furniture became my enemy."
She said she eventually encountered periods where she could not walk at all without "considerable help." After an "extensive evaluation" at the Mayo Clinic, she was diagnosed with Parkinson's, a nervous system disorder affecting movement. She began treatment to manage symptoms, which can include tremors, muscle stiffness, and slowness of movement.
Cancer Diagnosis
At the same time, Simon learned she had basal cell carcinoma (BCC) on her face, the most common type of skin cancer. While she had the cancer removed, the procedure "affected my appearance and made me more self-conscious about being seen in public."
This is not her first cancer battle. Simon survived breast cancer in 1997, undergoing a double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, and chemotherapy. She admitted she has "always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could possibly imagine," noting the irony of her "You're So Vain" lyrics. Her health struggles gave "my inner critic new material," leading her to withdraw from public life. "If a person is allowed to hibernate during both winter and summer, then I have become an all-season bear."
New Music Ahead
Despite these challenges, Simon vowed to keep going, expressing "deep" gratitude for her children, family, friends, and medical professionals who supported her on days when "my own reserves were not enough." She confirmed she has been in the recording studio, with a new album titled Comes in Waves set for release on August 14. It marks her first record in almost 20 years, her last being in 2008.
"The album includes songs and fragments of songs that had been waiting for me, some for years. There were melodies, verses, and ideas written down and tucked away for some unknown future when I would have the time and attention to finish them," she shared. "Apparently, that future is now." Simon concluded: "I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working."
