Dr. Zeitels, Laryngeal Surgeon To Adele, Describes ‘Remarkable’ Feeling Watching His Patients Perform
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Adele, Sam Smith & more artists have openly taken time off from performing due to polyps on vocal chords and other strains. Dr. Steven Zeitels is the man who gets them back on the road. He talks to us ahead of the Raise Your Voice gala.
Dr. Steven Zeitels has saved not only the voices, but also the careers of many of the world’s best singers, from Adele to Sam Smith to Lionel Richie. Now, he’s being honored for his success in laryngeal and voice rehab surgeries, as well as his renowned innovations in vocal restoration that have advanced the field as a whole. On Monday, March 5th, the Voice Health Institute will celebrate Dr. Zeitels achievements at the annual Raise Your Voice Gala, with special honoree Julie Andrews, and performances by Zeitels’ patients, Sam Smith, Keith Urban and Roger Daltrey. Speaking to HollywoodLife.com ahead of the big night, Dr. Zeitels shared the thrill of watching his patients perform, post-surgery.
“Now I’m able to bring my kids to some of the shows. They see older artists, younger artists, and they can participate. When we go, they even ask me how I feel watching them. I say one of the most remarkable things is not only hearing them and enjoying them, but also watching all the people in the audience that are smiling,” Dr. Zeitels told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY. “You realize that’s what artists do. They bring happiness to the people who come to see them. In some small way, you’ve restored their ability to do that.”
Now, you’d think that Dr. Zeitels would be on his toes, nervous for his artist to hurt their voice again, making minor corrections in his head throughout their performance, but he shared that it’s not like that at all. “While they’re doing unusual things, I’m often envisioning where I was during the operation that allowed that,” he said. “I go back and forth and think about their surgery, and where were the things that allowed them to do what I was now listening to and watching on stage.”
HollywoodLifers, stay tuned for full coverage of the Voice Health Institute’s Raise Your Voice Gala on Monday, March 5th!