Florence Welch Reveals Recent ‘Emergency’ Surgery: ‘It Saved My Life’

Florence Welch revealed that she recently underwent “emergency” surgery that “saved [her] life” in a note to fans explaining a string of recently-canceled Florence and the Machine concerts.

Welch didn’t specify what the surgery was, or the risk she was facing, saying only: “I’m so sorry that I had to cancel the last couple shows. My feet are fine, I had to have emergency surgery for reasons I don’t really feel strong enough to go into yet, but it saved my life.” (The remark about her feet is ostensibly a nod to a broken foot she suffered on stage last year, which caused Florence and the Machine to postpone their U.K. tour.)

Despite the surgery, Welch said she hoped to play the final shows on her Dance Fever tour, currently scheduled for Sept. 1 in Lisbon, Portugal and Sept. 2 in Málaga, Spain: “Maybe to jumping around so much,” she quipped, “but you can do that for me.”

Welch continued: “Suffice to say I wish the songs were less accurate in their predictions. But creativity is a way of coping, mythology is [a] way of making sense. And the dark fairytale of Dance Fever, with all its strange prophecies, will provide me with much needed strength and catharsis right now.” 

Florence and the Machine have spent much of this summer on the road in support of Dance Fever, the group’s fifth LP, which was released last May. Welch has shared a few additional songs since then, including a new live rendition of album closer “Morning Elvis,” featuring Ethel Cain, and a fully new song, “Mermaids.” Florence and the Machine also contributed a cover of No Doubt’s “I’m Just a Girl” to the Yellowjackets soundtrack.