You recently said that you also appreciate your fans a lot more. Can you elaborate on that? I’m more appreciative of where I am. Lyme disease is very serious. Just getting to the bottom of how it was associated with my voice was a huge journey. It’s a very elusive disease; it’s difficult. Getting back out and singing in front of the audience, it’s almost a miracle that it’s happening to me. I’m just very grateful and thankful to my fans for sticking by me, being patient for 15 years and embracing my return. I have a different sense of gratitude that you generally don’t have without adversity. Did the disease encourage you to make a bucket list—or add to it? Now I realize that there is more I want to do in life and that I’ve got time to do it. I have to hurry up and tick off these boxes. There is so much more I want to do. I want to make more albums, write more songs, write another book like a cookbook because I love to cook and I have a lot of healthy, nutritional knowledge to share now. Lots of active, productive time I want to invest in. I’ll be busy for the rest of my life. Technology has changed the music industry dramatically in the past 15 years. Did you adjust well or do you miss the old days? I just moved with the advancements. My son is 15, which is the last time I put out a record, and I evolved with him. Technology and social media are nothing new to me, especially when you have a child. This is how the new generation buys, finds, hears
music and how they access commentary. It’s not like I stopped living and didn’t pay attention to technology in the music business. I totally get it. How do you stay in such amazing shape? I have to watch what I eat. So low-carb diet, lots of tennis and walking. Do you visit in Canada a lot? I live primarily in Switzerland and I spend a lot of time in Nassau, Bahamas. I get back to Ontario often, though. I love Canada. Did you celebrate our 150th birthday? I was here in Ontario. I saw the Ottawa fireworks; it was pretty great. Your appearance on Hockey Night in Canada during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins got some major press. Some thought you might have had a bit to drink! Not that there’s anything wrong with that [burp]! I did see bits of it. I was just having fun! I wasn’t mad drinking! Are you kidding? Hockey’s rowdy! It’s time to have fun. It was really loud in [Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena] too. I’m a hockey fan.… So many of our Canadian players play all over North America so no matter where I’m watching, I’m happy and supporting our guys.
NELSON BRANCO is the editor of 24 Hours Toronto and Vancouver. As a contributing editor, he’s penned pieces for magazines like Hello Canada, People and TV Guide, and online sites like Huffington Post. He’s also worked as a TV producer for Breakfast TV and The Marilyn Denis Show. 25 You can follow him at @nelliebranco.