Barry Manilow Reflects on Years of Harsh Criticism, Admits It Once Left Him Feeling Sorry for Himself: “I Didn’t Agree with Them”
By Website Content Manager
Barry Manilow recently appeared on the cover of PEOPLE, where he opened up about his cancer diagnosis and reflected on the personal challenges he has faced throughout his career.
Barry Manilow is reflecting on the emotional toll harsh criticism once had on him during the height of his career.
In a recent interview with the Guardian, the legendary performer admitted that years of negative reviews deeply affected his confidence, even as millions of loyal fans continued supporting his music. Critics often labeled his songs overly sentimental, and the singer said the constant mockery extended beyond his music to his appearance as well.
Manilow explained that for more than a decade, jokes at his expense became common, recalling how simply mentioning his name could spark laughter. Although he tried to push forward professionally, he confessed that reading the criticism sometimes left him overwhelmed with self-pity.
The “Mandy” singer said he would occasionally retreat emotionally after seeing hurtful comments written about him, but ultimately continued performing because he never truly believed the harsh opinions reflected his talent.
He also revisited a sentiment he previously shared in a 1984 PEOPLE interview, admitting that criticism hurt so much because he had often already judged himself just as harshly. Despite that struggle, Manilow said he eventually learned to trust his own abilities and believes his work deserves more recognition than many critics gave him.
The Grammy-winning artist recently appeared on the cover of PEOPLE, where he spoke publicly about being diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer. Treatment forced him to cancel several performances and undergo a lobectomy, though he has since become cancer-free.
Even so, Manilow revealed that his recovery remains ongoing, particularly when it comes to rebuilding his physical strength and vocal stamina. While he hopes to continue performing, he admitted his body is still determining how much he can handle moving forward.