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NEED TO KNOW
- Nivea shared her leukemia diagnosis during an episode of Cadillac Chronicles
- The Grammy-nominated singer said she is undergoing treatment and is pursuing audio engineering studies
- The “Complicated” songstress reflected on living with gratitude and spending time with her children
Nivea is opening up about her health, and sharing that she was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year.
The “Laundromat” singer, 44, gave an update on her life when asked what she was most thankful for during the Tuesday, July 21, episode of Cadillac Chronicles.
“Well, first of all, I was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year, and I’m so grateful to God. I’ve been going through treatment, and everything is going great so far. And I expect it to continue. Amen, amen, amen,” she said.
Cadillac Chronicles, hosted by Mr. Brian Freeman and known for showcasing “Culture in Motion,” takes artists for a drive as they sing their biggest hits and open up about personal topics.
Nivea remained positive during her ride, adding that she was “very grateful for life.”
“It’s so cliche to say you don’t know the time nor the hour, but it’s true and it just helped me put a lot of things in perspective, and I live in gratitude, like, religiously, and I’m just grateful for everything,” she said.
There are several types of leukemia, but the cancer attacks the body’s blood-forming tissues, which include bone marrow and the lymphatic system, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The “Okay” singer did not disclose which type of leukemia she had been diagnosed with.
“I’m doing things I wanna do,” she told Freeman. “I’m definitely back into my music, and I’m going to school for audio engineering. I’ve always wanted to learn how to engineer, and mixing engineering in particular.”
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Nivea added that in general, she was “doing all the things” she set her mind to, which was not limited to “Loving on my children, and just being grateful and taking every opportunity that comes my way.”
The Grammy-nominated artist, born Nivea B. Hamilton, was married to The-Dream from 2004 until 2008. The former couple are parents to daughter Navy Talia, whom they welcomed in 2005, and twin sons London and Christian, who were born the following year.
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Nivea also has a son, Neal, with Lil Wayne.
“I found out the day I was confirmed pregnant with our son that he had another one that should be expected three months ahead of ours,” Nivea told VLADTV in a 2019 interview, explaining how she got close with actress Lauren London, who also shares a child with Lil Wayne, during that time. “It’s still a testament to the type of man [Lil Wayne] is because all of his baby mothers, we’re all cool with each other.”
PEOPLE reached out to Nivea for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.