Anitta says she created her new album while in the hospital ‘for months’ thinking she ‘was going to die’
Anitta performed at Today’s Citi Concert Series in New York City on Friday.
In addition to taking the stage, the 31-year-old Brazilian singer – who performed with Madonna in Rio de Janeiro – also sat down for an interview as the outlet host. May digital cover star and opened up about her past health problems.
In 2022, the hitmaker was hospitalized for months as she battled an unknown illness that eventually cleared up.
The mysterious condition left her unable to walk and she admitted she thought she was ‘going to die’ during the ordeal.
“I was super, super unhealthy,” she recalled. ‘I got really sick and was so physically ill that I couldn’t work anymore – and I hadn’t stopped working for so many years.’
Anitta performed at Today’s Citi Concert Series in New York City on Friday
In addition to taking the stage, the 31-year-old Brazilian singer – who performed with Madonna in Rio de Janeiro – also sat down for an interview and opened up about her past health problems
She noted that the experience “was a big wake-up call,” as she realized she “physically couldn’t do a lot of the things I liked to do because of my health.”
“I had to take time to take care of myself,” she said.
While working to improve her health, she felt inspired to make music.
“I’ve wasted so much time of my life trying to achieve goals, please people and become a success,” she told Today.
The singer, born Larissa de Macedo Machado, said the disease ‘changed’ [my] whole mentality, and that’s why I made this album.’
Anitta commented, “I created Funk Generation in the hospital. I thought: I want an album like this. In case I die, I’ll leave behind an album I’m proud of.’
And that’s exactly what she did.
‘I’m really proud of this album, and I didn’t do it thinking about streams, algorithms and numbers. All I thought about was having fun and enjoying what I was doing,” she gushed.
Anitta was the digital cover star of Today’s May
Anitta posed with longtime host Hoda Kotb
In July 2022, the superstar used Twitter, now X, to share a photo of herself in a hospital bed with a thumbs up.
She explained, “I came straight from the tour to the hospital to start preparing for a surgery that I’m going to do as soon as my body is ready.”
In a follow-up tweet, she added: “The surgery was planned before the tour started. I have something called ENDOMETRIOSIS (very common among millions of women in the world, but not as spoken about as it should be). I am doing well, I am being very well looked after and I will keep everyone informed. Lots of love.’
She told Today: ‘After my health problems, I started taking better care of my spirituality. I follow the Yoruba religion, and I had to jump into it. I have dived into myself and everything that gives me peace.’