For so many years the major music stars Taylor Swift and Kanye West feuded about almost everything. Now, in last year, both have found themselves dealing with a parent who has or had cancer.
While everyone copes differently after learning that a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, Taylor swift and Kanye both turned to their passions — music. For Taylor Swift, that meant writing an acoustic guitar song reminiscent of some of her earliest work about the experience, while Kanye held “Sunday services,” filled with music, power and god, after his father was diagnosed with cancer.
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Musicians gather to play and dance at Kanye West’s Sunday Service
At West’s “Sunday Service,” large groups choral and percussive musicians amass to play Kanye’s songs and embrace a spiritual sense of community. There is a lot of dancing and a lot of wide smiles as the group plays together.
Kanye also famously found an especially unique way to celebrate with his dad when Ray’s cancer was finally in remission — eating bugs.
“Overcome fear,” Kanye tweeted alongside a photo of crustaceans that he and his father ate to show they were overcoming obstacles together. “My dad and I are going to eat this plate of bugs to celebrate him beating cancer. No more fear.”
overcome fear
My dad and I are going to eat this plate of bugs to celebrate him beating cancer. No more fear pic.twitter.com/b3ywEX13v2
ye (@kanyewest) October 2, 2018
Taylor Swift’s new song, “Soon You’ll Get Better”
On her latest album Lover the singer has touched on a topic that resonates with millions of people all over the world, having to watch a loved one battle cancer. Earlier this year, Swift revealed that her mom, Andrea, was again battling cancer. Though she kept the details of the diagnosis private, we do know that this is Andrea's second bout with the disease. Now, Swift's new song, "Soon You'll Get Better," touches on the challenges of watching someone you love fight the disease.
On an album that features mostly upbeat pop numbers and love songs, "Soon You'll Get Better" is a powerful and emotional diversion. "I hate to make this all about me / But who am I supposed to talk to," Swift sings. "What am I supposed to do? / If there's no you."
The 29-year-old singer spoke about the song in a YouTube Live session ahead of her album's Aug. 23 release. "That was really, really hard to write, and it was just a family decision whether to even put it on the album," Swift said. "We as a family decided to put this on the album, and it's something I'm so proud of, but it's just really hard. I can't sing it. It's hard to just emotionally deal with that song."
Information about music and cancer
Swift and West are not the only one’s who have found that music can be helpful during cancer. Breast cancer survivor Bianca Muniz spoke with SurvivorNet, and said that music was a huge part of her cancer recovery. Bianca turned to music as an outlet during her experience with cancer, which began when she was just 11 years old. She received an ovarian cancer diagnosis at age 11, and a breast cancer diagnosis at age 22.
Breast cancer survivor Bianca Muniz talks about the impact of music during her cancer recovery
Cancer has affected her art in two different ways: it has acted as both a muse and a deterrent. Bianca says that undergoing a variety of different treatments did have an impact on her voice, but she never let that get in the way of her love of performing. Just like she never let a cancer diagnosis get in the way of what her life is really about music.
Swift’s mom’s history with cancer
Swift's mom was diagnosed for the first time after her children convinced her to see a doctor for some routine screenings, Swift wrote in the announcement, which was posted to Tumblr.
"I'd like to keep the details of her condition and treatment plans private, but she wanted you to know," Swift wrote. "She wanted you to know because your parents may be too busy juggling everything they've got going on to go to the doctor, and maybe you reminding them to go get checked for cancer could possibly lead to an early diagnosis and an easier battle. Or peace of mind in knowing that they're healthy and there's nothing to worry about. She wanted you to know why she may not be at as many shows this tour. She's got an important battle to fight."
When Swift announced that her mother was facing cancer yet again, she said the experience taught her not to sweat the small stuff.
"I've had to learn how to handle serious illness in my family," Swift wrote in a piece for Elle. "Both of my parents have had cancer, and my mom is now fighting her battle with it again. It's taught me that there are real problems and then there's everything else. My mom's cancer is a real problem. I used to be so anxious about daily ups and downs. I give all my worry, stress, and prayers to real problems now."
Kanye’s father’s history with cancer
Kanye’s dad, Ray west, was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018, at which time Kanye dropped everything he was doing to helpful to his dad.
The news came shortly after Kanye lost his mom in 2017, with whom he was very close. During his dad’s treatment, which he received in Los Angeles, Kanye and his wife Kim Kardashian spent a lot of time bonding with his dad, who wasn’t exactly estranged, but who had been distant since he and Kanye had lived in different cities for a long time.
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