5/25/26-Barry Manilow: Reluctant Showman

Trusted Source: music-news.com

Barry Manilow has always been a reluctant showman.

The 82-year-old star has enjoyed a hugely successful career in the music business, with hits such as Could It Be Magic, Weekend in New England, Can’t Smile Without You, and Copacabana (At the Copa) – but Manilow admits he still doesn’t see himself as a singer.

He told the Guardian newspaper: “My first love is not being a performer or even a singer.

“I don’t consider myself a singer; I consider myself a musician. And you know, if this wonderful part of my career hadn’t exploded the way it did, I would be playing piano in some Paris bar and I would be a happy guy, really.”

Manilow’s career has spanned more than 60 years, but he still doesn’t feel entirely comfortable in the spotlight.

He said: “I don’t think I’ve ever really gotten used to it … It’s just not who I am. I’ve figured out how to do it. And the way to do is to be honest with these audiences. Because I don’t know how to not be honest on that stage.”

Despite his chart success, Manilow has received some fierce criticism from music critics over the years.

He reflected: “It was as if I’d hurt somebody in their family.

“It lasted for so long – from putting me down for the songs, and then putting me down for what I looked like. If you wanted to get a big laugh, you would mention my name. It was 15 years of relentless, horrible reviews.”

The chart-topping star – who has released 13 platinum and six multi-platinum albums – admits that the criticism used to really bother him. However, he found a way of coping with the pressures of fame and success as his career has evolved.

Asked how the negative reviews made him feel, Manilow replied: “I would stupidly read some of this stuff and I would go into my self-pity, and I’d pull the covers over my head. And then I would get dressed and go to the sound check, and that was that. Because I didn’t agree with them.”

VOICE:

Barry Manilow has no idea if his voice is “coming back”.

The Mandy hitmaker – whose new album, What a Time, is out on Friday (05.06.26) – is raring to get back onstage and is in “great shape” physically, but his vocals have been impacted since undergoing a lobectomy to treat lung cancer.

He told Good Morning America this week: “My voice – I don’t know whether it’s coming back.

“I did my first sound check about a month ago and I didn’t sound like me at all. I just couldn’t believe that it’s over.”

Manilow is next due onstage on June 25. He also has a Las Vegas residency in July.

The 82-year-old singer admits his return to the stage may produce a few tears.

He said: “I can’t wait to get back. I’m in great shape, I’m ready to go. I just hope my voice is there. If I sound good, that would be just great. I really don’t want to cry on stage, but I don’t know whether I’ll be able to hold that back this time.”

In December 2025, he announced he had been diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer after the disease was detected during an MRI after hearing about recent bouts of bronchitis.

The Copacabana hitmaker postponed his farewell tour in December after doctors discovered the cancerous spot on his left lung.

He later rescheduled additional shows, explaining that although he is getting “stronger,” he has struggled with the slow pace of recovery.

In a video message celebrating Once Before I Go entering the Adult Contemporary Top 10 – extending his chart success into a sixth decade – Manilow admitted the journey has been challenging.

He told fans: “Since I have no patience, it’s been agony.”

Manilow added that he is eager to return to the stage and grateful for the support of his medical team, friends, and family.

He was also candid about the realities of his recovery, sharing that his surgeon advised him he wasn’t yet ready to perform a full 90-minute arena show despite his determination.