Perhaps best known for her chart-topping 2016 single “Closer” with The Chainsmokers and “cursive” singing style, alternative-pop star Halsey made headlines in June after revealing she was diagnosed with lupus and a rare T-cell disorder. As she shed light on her recent health struggles in a pair of Instagram posts, the “Bad At Love” singer also announced her fifth album and a new song, “The End.”
“Long story short, i’m Lucky to be alive. short story long, i wrote an album,” the singer-songwriter said in a post on June 4. In another post the next day, the 29-year-old shared that her diagnoses included lupus and “a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder,” both of which she said are being treated or in remission.
Since first achieving commercial success with her debut album in 2015, Halsey has always been open and honest about her mental and physical health struggles, particularly with her longstanding social media following. Over the last nine years, the Grammy-nominated artist has become an outspoken advocate in support of those struggling with chronic disease, drawing on her own experiences with bipolar disorder, endometriosis, and a handful of other autoimmune conditions.
Learn more about the alternative pop star’s history of diagnoses and how she’s managed to advocate for and educate others about chronic illness and mental health—all while writing chart-topping, award-winning music.
Who is Halsey?
Halsey, who uses she/they pronouns, was born Ashley Nicolette Frangipane in Edison, New Jersey. Her family moved frequently throughout her childhood, which she often describes as chaotic and unconventional. Halsey is also biracial; her father is Black, and her mother is white. However, the singer has said that growing up, she never identified as mixed or considered herself “white-passing.”
She began singing and playing acoustic guitar at 14, posting covers of songs on YouTube. At 17, she dropped out of community college and was couch-surfing through Brooklyn with fellow artists and her drug-addicted boyfriend.
During this time, Halsey was also building an online presence with more than 10,000 followers on Tumblr with their blog, se7enteenblack—full of photos, her poetry and personal reflections, and other aesthetic content that dominated the blogging platform in the early 2010s.
According to Billboard, one night while at a party, Halsey met producer and musician Anthony Li, who’d heard a song she posted online that went viral. Li told Halsey she should consider seriously recording music at a friend’s studio in New Jersey. She took him up on the offer for some quick cash and recorded “Ghost” that night, casually posting the song on iTunes and YouTube.
The following day, “Ghost” topped the alternative music charts, and Halsey started getting calls from major record labels. They signed with one of Capitol Records’ subsidiary labels, and in 2015, their debut album, Badlands, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, going double-platinum by 2018. The singer-songwriter’s 2017 sophomore album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, debuted at number one and platinum-certified.
Halsey also achieved commercial success and a Grammy nomination for her collaboration with The Chainsmokers on the 2016 single “Closer,” which sat at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks straight after its release. “Closer” is one of the most-streamed songs on Spotify today.
Halsey’s Journey with Health Issues
Halsey’s health struggles have been a significant part of her public narrative for years. In a 2015 interview with Elle, she shared that she has bipolar disorder and was diagnosed after a suicide attempt at 17. In 2016, she posted a note on Twitter revealing she’d been diagnosed with endometriosis after years of struggling with “excruciatingly painful” periods.
In 2018, the “Without Me” singer appeared on The Doctors to spread awareness about endometriosis, which often goes misdiagnosed, mistreated, or dismissed entirely by doctors. Halsey also shared that while on tour at one point, she found out she was pregnant but soon realized in the middle of a performance that she had miscarried. She decided to “get really aggressive about seeking treatment,” eventually having surgery in 2017.
After years of endometriosis-related fertility struggles, Halsey gave birth to her first child in 2021. But in 2022, the artist revealed that after giving birth, she continued to face various health struggles and was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Sjogren’s syndrome, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
Despite saying that doctors were working to identify the causes of these issues, Halsey reassured fans that her upcoming tour was still on schedule and rehearsals were underway.
Two years after sharing her chronic and autoimmune health struggles, Halsey announced that she has been privately fighting lupus SLE and a T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder since 2022. She also said new music, including a new single, is coming.
“After a rocky start, I slowly got everything under control with the help of amazing doctors,” she wrote in the Instagram caption. “After 2 years, I’m feeling better and I’m more grateful than ever to have music to turn to. I can’t wait to get back where I belong: With you all.”
Understanding Lupus
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes the body’s immune system to attack healthy tissue and organs, commonly affecting the skin, joints, and internal organs like the kidneys, heart, brain, and lungs. According to the National Institutes of Health, common symptoms of lupus include the following:
- Skin rash
- Joint pain or swelling
- Swelling around the eyes and feet
- Severe fatigue
- Low-grade fever
- Hair loss
- Cognitive impairment
There are four types of lupus: neonatal lupus, drug-induced lupus, cutaneous lupus, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)—the most common form of lupus. More than 70% of people with lupus have SLE, and SLE is the type that most people refer to when they use the term “lupus.”
Although the cause of lupus is still unclear, evidence suggests that it and autoimmune disorders like it are genetic and may develop as an autoimmune response to hormonal or environmental triggers. Moreover, lupus may occur alongside other chronic conditions. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, one-third of lupus patients have multiple autoimmune diseases.
Additionally, specific demographics are at a higher risk of developing lupus, like women aged 15 to 44. Nine out of every 10 people with lupus are women.
Rare T-cell Disorders Explained
Alongside her lupus diagnosis, Halsey shared on social media that she was diagnosed with a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder. According to Health, lymphoproliferative disorder is a group of diseases where the body overproduces lymphocytes, or white blood cells, which help the body’s immune system fight infection. Higher white blood cell counts can lead to swollen lymph nodes and disrupt bone marrow function and red blood cell production.
Aside from swollen lymph nodes and elevated white blood cell counts, common symptoms of lymphocyte disorders also include abnormal bleeding or bruising, spleen or liver enlargement, bone pain, fatigue, and weight loss.
Two lymphoproliferative disorders are based on whether the disease affects T-cell or B-cell white blood cells. These diseases may range from mild to cancerous in severity. Certain types of lymphoma and leukemia are considered lymphoproliferative diseases. Based on their social media posts, whether Halsey’s diagnosis is mild, malignant, or cancerous is unclear.
Because “lymphoproliferative” is an umbrella term encompassing a range of conditions, these disorders have various risk factors and potential causes. They may develop from genetic mutations and are common in immunocompromised people.
Bipolar Disorder Diagnoses
Alongside her physical health challenges, Halsey has been open about her struggles with bipolar disorder. After attempting suicide with over-the-counter medications at 17, she spent over two weeks in inpatient treatment, where she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
In her interview with Elle, Halsey shared how growing up with a mother who also has bipolar helped normalize and make sense of the experience for her.
“I didn’t find out my mom was bipolar until I was old enough to understand what that meant. I didn’t know my mom was bipolar for a long time,” she said. “A lot of things that I sort of thought were normal growing up, I look back on and I’m like, ‘Oh, that was really not normal.'”
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition characterized by unpredictable mood swings with extreme emotional highs and lows and, in some cases, psychosis. When a person has bipolar disorder, their emotions may shift between periods of severe depression and low activity and periods of energetic, euphoric, and sometimes irritable behavior. Bipolar disorder may develop at any age, though it is often diagnosed during adolescence and early adulthood.
Like many other chronic and mental health conditions, bipolar disorder is a lifelong disease. Still, people who have bipolar disorder can manage their mood swings and other symptoms by seeking professional help. For Halsey, making music, touring, and performing are like therapy—or her ways of coping with mental illness.
“That’s why I tour so much,” she told Marie Claire in 2018, “I don’t manage my mental illness to keep up with my lifestyle; I manage my lifestyle to keep up with my mental illness.”
Raising Awareness and Supporting Others
With over 31 million Instagram followers, 13.9 million followers on X, and 5 million TikTok followers, Halsey’s openness about her health struggles has undoubtedly helped educate the public about lesser-known conditions and chronic illnesses, like endometriosis, lupus, and rare T-cell disorders (like lymphoma and leukemia).
In the Instagram posts about her diagnoses, Halsey mentions the Lupus Research Alliance and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, two organizations researching cures for these diseases and providing resources and support to those affected by lupus, leukemia, and lymphoma. The musician and artist also pledged donations to both organizations.
Over the years, Halsey has also been an outspoken advocate for mental health, reproductive rights, victims of sexual assault, and racial equality. In 2018, she participated in the March for Our Lives in Washington and the New York City Women’s March, where she performed an emotional poem titled “A Story Like Mine.”
After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, she marched in Los Angeles police brutality protests and launched the Black Creator Fund to empower and financially support Black creatives.
Resources for Lupus, T-Cell, and Bipolar Disorders
For those seeking more information or support regarding the conditions discussed, we’ve listed some trusted resources below:
- The Lupus Foundation of America provides education, support, and research for those affected by lupus.
- The National Organization for Rare Disorders offers information on rare diseases, including T-cell disorders.
- The National Institute of Mental Health provides comprehensive information on bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions.
- The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance offers support groups and resources for individuals living with mood disorders.
These organizations provide valuable information on ongoing research and potential treatments and support communities for people affected by these conditions.
As a member of the public, you can support people who struggle with chronic and autoimmune diseases in a few ways:
- Educate yourself about chronic illness with verifiable, evidence-based sources of information
- When you meet someone who discloses that they have a chronic or autoimmune condition, try to understand and empathize with them.
- Advocate for better healthcare access and research funding for chronic and autoimmune diseases by writing to elected officials and participating in conversations and awareness campaigns on social media.
- Follow, volunteer, and contribute to organizations that advocate for and provide resources to chronic illness patients and their loved ones.
- Challenge stigma and misconceptions about chronic disease in social situations and cultural contexts.
Seeking Support: You’re Not Alone
Living with chronic physical and mental health conditions like lupus or bipolar disorder can be overwhelming. At The Summit Wellness Group, we understand how chronic illness can take a toll on your mental and emotional health over time. No matter how complicated your condition may seem, you deserve comprehensive treatment and care that attends to your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Contact The Summit Wellness Group today to learn how we can help you on your path to wellness. You can reach us anytime at ContactUs@TheSummitWellnessGroup.com.
