Billy Joel opens up about ‘scary' brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel, 76, has opened up about his battle with normal pressure hydrocephalus after the brain disorder forced the iconic musician to cancel all his concerts through next year.
'I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I'm okay,' the 'Piano Man' singer told People in an interview published on Monday, July 21. 'What I have is something very few people know about, including me, no matter how much you try to research it.'
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9 Billy Joel attends MSG Entertainment and Billy Joel special franchise announcement at Chase Square at Madison Square Garden on June 1, 2023, in New York City.
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9 The 'Movin' Out' singer during a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden on November 5, 2021.
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'I'm doing my best to work with it and to recover from it,' he added.
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The treatable brain disorder can affect one's hearing, vision and balance, and Joel first realized that something was wrong earlier this year when his balance was off.
'It was like being on a boat all the time,' he shared.
9 Billy Joel at SiriusXM Studios on October 11, 2024, in Los Angeles, California.
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9 Billy Joel performing at Allegiant Stadium on November 9, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Despite the 'disturbing' diagnosis, Joel reassured his fans that he is doing just fine and staying positive about the future.
'It was scary, but I'm okay,' the 'New York State of Mind' singer said. 'I just wanted to let people know, don't worry about me being deathly ill or anything.'
Joel announced that he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus in May.
9 The 'Stranger' artist performing onstage during the 66th Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 4, 2024, in Los Angeles, California.
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He also revealed that he had to cancel all his 2025 tour because his condition was 'exacerbated by recent concert performances.'
'Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period,' the statement read. 'Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.'
'I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,' Joel added.
9 Billy Joel wipes away tears while announcing the end of his performance residency at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 1, 2023.
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The 'Uptown Girl' crooner's wife, Alexis Roderick, and daughter, Alexa Ray, later took to social media to break their silence on Joel's diagnosis.
'Thank you for the outpouring of love and support,' Alexis, 43, wrote on Instagram alongside a sweet photo of herself, Joel and their two young daughters. 'We are so grateful for the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received.'
'Bill is beloved by so many, and to us, he is a father and husband who is at the center of our world,' she added. 'We are hopeful for his recovery. We look forward to seeing you all in the future.'
9 Billy Joel performs at Allegiant Stadium on November 9, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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9 The 'Uptown Girl' singer performing at the MCG on December 10, 2022, in Melbourne, Australia.
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Alexa Ray, who the 'Stranger' artist shares with ex-wife Christie Brinkley, also took to Instagram to show her famous father some love and support.
'We love you and we got you, Pop!' Alexa, 39, began. 'My Dad is the strongest and most resilient man I've ever known… and he's entirely committed to making a full recovery with ongoing physical-therapy treatments as he continues to regain his strength.'
Shock jock Howard Stern later insisted that Joel was 'not dying,' but the 'Movin' Out' songwriter still missed the world premiere of his new documentary, 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes,' at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
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The two-part documentary kicked off on HBO last week and is set to finish on Friday, July 25. It covers the life and career of the legendary musician across six decades of making music.
9 The poster for the new 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes' documentary.
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'I think he's working on recovering, and he's resilient,' co-director Jessica Levin told The Post earlier this month regarding Joel and his health battle. 'He's a fighter.'
'It's important to him to stay around as long as he can for his children and his family,' she added. 'He cares deeply about that. He is the ultimate romantic.'
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