Russell put on vocal rest following vocal hemorrhage

Russell was slated to play a festival in Duluth, Minn. on Sunday.

Russell has been touring behind her well-received disc, "Outside Child." She also was slated to play with Nathaniel Rateliff for two shows later this month.

Earlier in the day, she posted on Instagram:

"I am beyond devastated and sorry to tell you that I won't be able to play my set at the @waterislifefestival / @honortheearth rally in Duluth today.

I have been struggling vocally on and off since March. At the urgent request of @brandicarlile 's (and many other brilliant singers) vocal coach extraordinaire @robertraab (who has generously been helping all of us on the road with Queen Brandi) I finally went to a specialist here in LA. I was scared to go because I felt that something was badly wrong and I was fearful of hearing it confirmed...

I have been put on vocal rest and rehabilitation by my new otolaryngologist, @drshawnnasseri

Apparently I suffered a vocal hemorrhage approx 2 weeks ago and have vocal nodes that are inflamed and on the verge of hemorrhaging again. Dr. Nasseri tells me that if I play back to back shows this weekend, I could do permanent, irrevocable damage. He gave me a steroid to get me through my set last night, but wants me to be silent other than vocal rehab for the next week.

It has been a particularly stressful, fraught, heartbreaking time in my world, and I believe the unrelenting cortisol flood took its toll on my voice and body and spirit.

Dr. Nasseri told me that I've been running a marathon on a broken ankle, and if I continue as I am, it will destroy my voice and be the end of my career. The pictures of my suffering damaged vocal cords were deeply upsetting and terrifying. I have a dangerously high threshold for pain, it has been such a constant companion in my life, it feels familiar and normal. I did not realize how badly I was hurting myself.

The good news is that with some vocal rest and physio under the guidance of voice whisperer Raab — I should make a full recovery.

I am not a trained musician or singer, I've always just followed my ears, instincts, intuition. I thought that was enough, but it is no longer sustainable. I will be working hard to get back to full powers over the next week and beyond, and will be learning and internalizing best preservative practices and techniques.