Muni Long has revealed that her long battle with lupus ultimately led to a double lung transplant, shedding light on the health struggles that contributed to her early departure from Brandy and Monica’s The Boy Is Mine Tour.
The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, born Priscilla Renea Hamilton, opened up about the life-changing experience during an appearance on Good Morning America on Tuesday (June 23). Speaking with anchor Robin Roberts, Long discussed the terrifying surgery and shared that doctors had once given her just one week to live after being diagnosed with lupus in 2014.
Muni Long served as an opening act for Brandy and Monica on select stops of their 2025 tour before stepping away due to health concerns. Following her departure, R&B singer Mýa took over the role.
Reflecting on the experience during her interview with Robin Roberts, Long admitted that taking part in the tour may not have been the best decision for her health.
“I should have never taken that tour,” she told Roberts, “but there was so much going on in my life that I had to do it.”
During her final appearance on The Boy Is Mine Tour, Muni Long was only able to perform two songs before ultimately stepping away from the tour. By Thanksgiving, the 37-year-old singer had been hospitalized.
“I couldn’t even get out of the bed to make my call time for stage,” she recalled.
While in the hospital, Long said doctors presented her with two stark options: enter hospice care or undergo a double lung transplant.
“And my jaw dropped literally. I was like, ‘That’s rude.’ But they just [said], ‘Hey, this is not a joke, you need to make a choice. You can either go to hospice or you can get these lungs,’” she shared.
Long said her decision was heavily influenced by her role as a mother to her three-year-old son, Tatum, whom she shares with her estranged husband, Raysean Hairston.
“I look at my son and I think about how much more life that I have to live and [my] quality of life. … I can’t sing if I’m not here,” Long said.
The singer also revealed that she is now six months removed from the transplant surgery and feeling “fabulous.” She is scheduled for another vocal procedure in August, which will determine whether she can return to performing live.
Long, who released her latest single, “Richest,” this month, used the interview to encourage Black women to prioritize rest and their well-being. Reflecting on her health battle, she spoke candidly about the questions she asked herself while confronting her own mortality.
“And I thought to myself like, have I really served myself the way that I should? Have I really given myself given to myself the way I give to others? And the answer was no,” she said.
The singer has been open about her lupus journey over the years. In an August post on Threads, she shared that even wearing a pair of tights had caused severe, “throbbing” pain in her legs due to complications from the condition.
