London-based singer-songwriter, Sarah Téibo, who was told she may never sing again has defied the odds and released a new EP – “Human Like Me” – after recovering from thyroid cancer.
Sarah was also told by medics that her vocal cords were at risk of being permanently damaged after urgent surgery to remove a cancerous tumour on her thyroid. Though devastated by the news of the diagnosis and struggling to process what this could mean for her future as a singer, the mum of two who had already released three award-winning Gospel albums, took a step of faith to book and attend songwriting sessions within three weeks of major surgery.
“I could barely produce coherent sounds, yet I went into the songwriting sessions to write new music – even with dressing from surgery still on my neck … I don’t know how I got through it, but somehow I did!” says Sarah.
“This was undoubtedly the most anxious I’d been at any point in my life and I thought I’d never be able to sing again, as I was diagnosed with ‘mild vocal paresis’ resulting from the surgery. This meant I would require vocal rehab to help me completely re-train and learn how to sing again. The thought of possibly never being able to sing with my signature power and pitch was quite terrifying, but my faith played a huge part in keeping me positive about the future.”
She was eventually given the ‘all clear’ from cancer, as well as discharged from vocal therapy after regaining most of her singing voice. Months later, she released the first single from the EP – ‘All Clear’ – which is dedicated to her journey back to recovery. On the rest of the project, Sarah creates a musical tapestry interwoven with stories, melodies and warm sonics that take listeners through her experience processing diagnosis, anxiety, fear, scars, faith and ultimate healing.
“Human Like Me”, Sarah’s fourth studio project, is now available to stream and download from all music platforms. For more information on Sarah Téibo, visit www.sarahteibo.co.uk
