Courtney Love announced she is taking a temporary break from social media in order to figure out the release strategy for her newly finished solo album, while also revealing that she secretly battled a near-fatal health crisis in 2019.
In an Instagram video, Love told fans: “Hey, so I’m going to get off social media cause I got to do some analog stuff for a few weeks. A lot of you are asking where my record is at. It’s done. My record is done. It’s kind of been done. It’s a really good record. I put a lot into it.”
She went on to describe the harrowing health scare that sidelined her: “I went to England in 2019 and when I went there… you know my body just exploded. It just exploded. And I was in hospitals a lot. I almost died. I lost all my hair. I was about 100 pounds. And they told me I was going to die. And I didn’t believe them. When they said, ‘You’re going to die,’ I just didn’t believe them. And somehow I got better. I’m healthy, which is amazing.”
Love also reflected on the disappointing reception of her last album, drawing a comparison to a humbling live performance: “In 2009, I put out a record. It flopped. Like playing a place called Pizza Hut Park at 11 a.m. while Limp Bizkit was headlining with 30 Seconds to Mars. That shit’s humbling. I’m just tapping in, figuring out how to roll this out. Things are great right now. … I just need to understand how to do this.”
She closed the video with a reassurance to her fans: “I will be back. I just wasn’t public about being sick. I don’t want to be public. I’m fine now. Thank you for waiting. Just bear with me. Be a little more patient. Okay. That’s it. Thanks a lot.”
Love’s comments place the new record in the context of both a long creative wait and a difficult personal period. They also recall the uneven commercial history of her previous major release.
Love’s reference to a 2009 record appears to concern the period surrounding Nobody’s Daughter, which was released worldwide in 2010 as a Hole album. The album debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 after selling approximately 22,000 copies in its first week.
The album received a mixed critical response. Some called it a commendable effort, while others criticized its generic, overproduced sound. The contrasting reviews reflected the uncertain reception surrounding Love’s return to music at the time.
Love has also spoken publicly about serious health problems before. She previously described a 2021 hospitalization for anemia and said she “nearly died.” She also recalled feeling that doctors judged her through the lens of her past struggles with addiction.
The forthcoming album has been developing for several years and has involved a number of notable collaborators. Michael Stipe and Echo & the Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant contributed to the project, while producer Butch Walker and Melissa Auf der Maur were also connected to the record. Love has not yet announced an official release date.
In an earlier update about the project, Love said: “I wanted to give you an update on my record. When I made it, I believed this was my last record so I made the record I always wanted to make.” She has now confirmed that the album is complete, but its rollout will have to wait while she steps away from social media and focuses on what comes next.
