Country-Pop Singer RaeLynn Talks About Life with Diabetes

The name RaeLynn is probably a household name for fans of country-pop music. The singer has risen to fame after joining The Voice, where she placed third during the show’s second season back in 2012. However, her skill in performing is not the only reason to admire the young woman. She is also an inspiration to those who struggle with type 1 diabetes.

The 23-year-old singer has been living with the disease ever since she was a young child. The condition may have presented its fair share of difficulties, but she has been able to reach great heights despite the condition. While she now manages her diabetes independently and safely, it has not always been that way for RaeLynn.

The singer recounts how she and her family discovered that she had the condition. At age 12, she accompanied her mother on trips to Nashville to assist her cousin while he worked on his album. RaeLynn recalls that she had frequent restroom breaks during the trip, but no one thought it was unusual at the time. She was also experiencing weight loss, which everyone associated with puberty.

One day, RaeLynn felt ill, and she was taken to the emergency room under the impression that it was the flu. They then discovered that she was actually experiencing what is called diabetic ketoacidosis. It is a life-threatening complication that happens when the body does not receive enough insulin. After the treatment, the doctors were able to confirm that the culprit was type 1 diabetes, which explained many of the symptoms that the family observed prior to the hospital visit.

She was then moved to Texas Children’s Hospital for about two weeks. She credits the amazing staff for helping her cope with the condition, which provided a rather drastic change to her lifestyle. While these are important things to learn, RaeLynn says that she is most thankful that they were able to teach her that it was still possible to live a normal life despite the circumstances.

As evidenced by her former work as an assistant to her cousin, RaeLynn was born into a musical family. She claims that music has always been an important aspect of her life. As the youngest of seven children, RaeLynn recalls how it was somewhat of an anomaly if you could not play an instrument in the family. Her first experience with singing and performing was in church, and she also notes that she discovered the wonders of country music around the same time as the diagnosis.

Not soon after, she auditioned for The Voice with the encouragement of a contestant who was on Team Adam Levine. The singer was 17 years old when she was able to reach the Quarter Finals after performing songs like “Free Falling” and “She’s Country”. After elimination, RaeLynn had been extremely busy writing and releasing her own music, as well as juggling advocacy work about the disease.

Photo Source: Screenshot from RaeLynn - "Love Triangle" | Live at the Grand Ole Opry | Opry