"My life and its challenges finally make sense”- Chrisette Michele reveals she’s been diagnosed with Autism
Chrisette Michele announced that she has been diagnosed with autism in a personal message shared via Instagram on June 15, 2025. The Grammy-winning singer said that she recently received an official diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
In her announcement, the 42-year-old also expressed a sense of clarity, writing that the diagnosis helped her better understand the struggles she has faced throughout her life and career.
“My life and its challenges finally make sense. So so much sense," Michele wrote.
Known for blending gospel, soul, and R&B influences in her music, Chrisette Michele has continued to perform and record in recent years, although she has largely avoided the spotlight since her controversy following the Trump inauguration in 2017.
More about Chrisette Michele's mental health update
In her social media post, Chrisette Michele talked about the emotional weight of the diagnosis and the process of understanding how she navigated the world while trying to appear neurotypical. Referring to her diagnosis and her public-facing career, she wrote in the caption,
"I just learned I’m autistic. Official diagnosis. They used the word 'severely'. I’ve been quiet on here. But… I’ve been outside. Singing. … but learning to strip the mask. One show at a time. (The irony)."
The singer also acknowledged the difficulty of fully processing the news, writing,
"Just… coming to grips with a lot and giving myself room to take it all in. My life and its challenges finally make sense. So so much sense. Autistic. Would you get a load of that…"
After announcing her autism diagnosis, Chrisette Michele ended her caption with a simple check-in with fans.
“Just wanted to say hi… from stage side,” she concluded.
Though she hasn’t released a studio album since Out of Control in 2018, Chrisette Michele has stayed active through live performances and her self-titled podcast. Furthermore, her most recent single, Wait, was released in 2020.
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Michele received backlash for her performance at Trump's inauguration ceremony in 2017
Chrisette Michele’s recent announcement comes years after she faced one of the most public controversies of her career. In 2017, she performed at Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration, a decision that was met with intense criticism and resulted in her being dropped by her record label, Capitol & Caroline Records.
The album she had been preparing to release at the time, titled Strong Black Woman, was also shelved. Furthermore, she later shared that she had experienced a miscarriage and struggled with depression during that period, according to an Essence story published on June 17, 2025.
In a series of Instagram posts from that time, she talked about how the entire situation affected her. As per the Essence story, Michele wrote,
“I went from someone being revered and loved to facing putting out an album in the worst climate of my musical career.”
In a separate post, the singer also talked about the emotional aftermath of the miscarriage. She described the experience as a breaking point but also a moment of resolve, saying,
“Something came out of me. It was my child. The one my love and I worked so hard on... When I lost my child, I knew that it was time for me to become a #StrongBlackWoman.”
Meanwhile, in a January 2017 interview with Billboard, Chrisette Michele explained that her decision to perform at the inauguration ceremony stemmed from a belief that she could use the platform to give visibility to marginalized voices.
“I thought that it was almost my responsibility to not just say yes but to say yes with purpose, so that was my reasoning," she explained.
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Chrisette Michele’s latest announcement was met with widespread support from her fans and followers, with many sharing their personal experiences in the comments under her Instagram post, talking about the relief and self-understanding that can come with a diagnosis later in life.
