Grammy-nominated R&B singer Nivea has revealed she was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia earlier this year. She told ABC News that the diagnosis came in early 2026, following two bone marrow biopsy procedures.
In a statement, Nivea said treatment was going well. "Life for me has changed in various ways but treatment thus far is working," she said. "Taking it day by day with a positive mindset & a heart full of gratitude! I'm blessed with the ability to still do what I love—music, continue to mother my children, and learn new skills that fuel me! I am and have been very blessed in this life and won't ever take it for granted."
The singer, known for the song "Don't Mess With My Man," also spoke about her diagnosis in an interview with Cadillac Chronicles. "I've been going through treatment and everything is going great so far, and I expect it to continue," she said. She described the experience as something that reshaped her perspective. "It's so cliche to say, you know, you don't know the time nor the hour, but it's true, and it just helped me put a lot of things in perspective. And I live in gratitude, like religiously," she told the outlet.
Leukemia is a form of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow, where blood cells are made. When the bone marrow produces too many abnormal white blood cells, it can interfere with healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly 68,000 cases of leukemia are expected to be diagnosed in 2026, representing about 3% of all new cancer cases.
Nivea, a mother of four, said she has not let her diagnosis slow her down. "I'm definitely back into my music and I'm going to school for audio engineering," she told Cadillac Chronicles. "I've always wanted to learn how to engineer and mix and engineer, in particular. But in general, just doing all the things, honey, loving on my children, and just being grateful and taking every opportunity that comes my way."
She added a thank-you in her public statement: "A tremendous thank you to everyone for the love & prayers."
Nivea's most recent album, "Mirrors," was released in 2019.
