Veteran singer Lani Misalucha opened up about the struggles she and her husband faced with bacterial meningitis in 2020 and how it affected her health and career.
“October 2020 yun no’ng nagyari yung bacterial meningitis sa aming mag-asawa…,” Lani recalled during a press conference on May 7 for her upcoming concert. The illness left her with several long-term effects: deafness, a vestibular disorder, and tinnitus.
“So for a while hindi ko talaga nakayanan kumanta… It was really a difficult time for me because syempre naman singer ako,” she admitted.
Lani Misalucha shared that she went through a difficult time where she felt like she might have experienced depression, though she wasn’t sure if that was the right word for it. She explained that it was hard to describe but felt overwhelming.
“I’ve went through that phase wherein, should I say nagkaroon ng depression. I don’t know if I’m going to admit it. I don’t know if it was actually depression nga yung naramdaman ko pero mahirap i-describe,” she said. “Physically ayaw mo nang kumilos because the minute na gumalaw ka e nakakahilo talaga… You don’t want to socialize, you don’t want to talk to people,” she continued.
One of the hardest parts was how their hearing was affected. She described it as painful because they could only hear high-pitched sounds. People’s voices sounded sharp, piercing, and high-pitched for the first six months.
“Ang mga taong nadidinig namin na salita, yung mga tao na nagsasalita e lahat matinis, matalas, mataas… gano’n yung pandinig namin noon, noong mga first six months, I guess.”
When asked if their condition improved, Lani Misalucha shared that while they could now recognize speech more clearly and identify voices, their hearing issues hadn’t fully resolved.
“I think it did [get better] at least yung nadidinig na salita ng tao normal na. Nare-recognize na namin kung boses ni ganito yan. Yung part na yun, I think it got better. But the hearing parang hindi, I mean yung deafness parang hindi. [until now] It’s pretty much the same. Yung sa husband ko, almost 90% hindi na nakakarinig yung right ear niya. Ako naman almost gano’n din, hindi na ‘to [her right ear] nakakarinig. It can only absorb very loud sound but it is distorted.“
Lani explained that this had a significant impact on her singing. “…It did affect my singing. So, nangyari yun no’ng 2020, and then 2021 talagang struggle talaga. Parang I was like a child again trying to train myself and teach again myself to sing in this current situation.”
After judging Tawag ng Tanghalan All Star Grand Resbak, Lani Misalucha dove straight into a series of performances. She realized her voice was still as strong as ever, able to hit high notes without lowering the keys—just like she did 20 years ago.
Lani said, “Na-realize ko na ang taas pa rin pala ng boses ko. As in nahi-hit ko pa rin pala yung mga high [notes]. As in lahat ng kinakanta ko ngayon the same key na kinakanta ko 20 years ago. The same key pa rin. Hindi ako nagpababa ng keys.”
Now, after five years away from the concert stage, Asia’s Nightingale is making a long-awaited return. She will headline STILL LANI, a concert celebrating her 40th year in the music industry, on August 21 at The Theatre at Solaire. The much-anticipated #StillLani show is not only a celebration of her artistry but also a powerful testament to her resilience and passion for music.
TATAK MNL 