Singer Chrisette Michele is one of 45 adults in the U.S. diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The music artist shared the news with fans on social media and also reflected on her feelings about the diagnosis.
“I just learned I’m autistic. Official diagnosis. They used the word ‘severely,’” Michele wrote in her Instagram caption. “I’ve been quiet on here. But… I’ve been outside. Singing. … but learning to strip the mask. One show at a time. (The irony) Just… coming to grips with a lot and giving myself room to take it all in.”
The singer, 42, continued, “My life and its challenges finally make sense,” Michele added. “So so much sense. Autistic. Would you get a load of that… I’ll talk more soon. Just wanted to say hi… from stage side.”
Autism spectrum disorder is a range of conditions that can cause repetitive behaviors and impact speech, nonverbal communication, and social skills. As the diagnosis suggests, autism is a spectrum, meaning each person with a diagnosis may have a unique set of challenges and no two autistic people are the same.
Michele hasn’t released an album 2018 but she is still present in the media space since she hosts her eponymous podcast. The last album the singer released was Out of Control in 2018 and she released the single Wait in 2020. Part of the reason the artist may be under the radar is due to the backlash she received for performing at Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017. It led to the 42-year-old being dropped by her label after she delivered what would have been her next album titled “Strong Black Woman”.
“I went from someone being revered and loved to facing putting out an album in the worst climate of my musical career,” she said in a series of posts on Instagram at the time.
Around the same time Michele received the backlash, she also experienced depression and a miscarriage.
“Something came out of me. It was my child. The one my love and I worked so hard on,” she wrote in another Instagram post that included a graphic image of the miscarriage. “I never knew I could allow myself to be so broken that my physical body would break down. Just because I had a negative experience didn’t mean I had to become negative and broken. When I lost my child, I knew that it was time for me to become a #StrongBlackWoman.”