Legendary '70s Singer Opens Up About Overcoming Years of Harsh Criticism Amid Cancer Battle

Barry Manilow has opened up about the damage his early critics had on his state of mind.

The 82-year-old told The Guardian in a new interview that his critics did get him down, despite having a loyal following of Fanilows. Over the years, Barry has been criticised for her overly sentimental songs, but that hasn't stopped him releasing 13 platinum and six multi-platinum albums.

"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," the singer told the British newspaper. "If you wanted to get a big laugh, you would mention my name. It was 15 years of relentless, horrible reviews."

Asked how the negative reviews made him feel, the "Mandy" song 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."

Despite a career spanning more than six decades, Manilow still doesn't feel entirely comfortable in the spotlight. "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."

Manilow has recently been forced to cancel a number of his shows due to his stage 1 lung cancer diagnosis and treatment. "I'm still waiting for the strength that I lost to come back," he explained, per People.

"I'm still going through it, but I'm pulling myself back together. I'm not even sure I can go to the next level yet. My body doesn't want to take me there. It's not even doctor's orders, it's my body's orders - it won't let me do it," he added.

Related: Barry Manilow Announces First New Album In Nearly 15 Years

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 7:35 AM.