Singer-songwriter Angelo De Augustine has described a prolonged and debilitating illness that disrupted his career at a critical moment of rising recognition, forcing him into years of recovery and prompting a reassessment of both his creative process and personal priorities.

De Augustine said the episode began on Halloween in 2022 at his home in Los Angeles, when he experienced acute neurological symptoms before collapsing. Family members transported him to hospital, where he underwent several days of testing.

Despite extensive evaluation, doctors were unable to establish a definitive diagnosis and discharged him with instructions to return if symptoms worsened significantly.“I was conscious most of the time,” he said, noting that he experienced impaired hearing, limited vision and loss of motor control. He added that he retained only partial memory of the episode.

Following his discharge, De Augustine remained physically incapacitated and uncertain about his prognosis. During this period, he focused on completing Toil and Trouble, an album he had been working on for approximately a year prior to the incident.

He said the decision was driven by both professional commitment and concern about his health outlook. “I didn’t think I would survive the illness,” he said, adding that he was unable to perform routine physical tasks while finishing the project.The album was released in 2023, adding to a catalogue that had been gaining attention in recent years.

After his debut Spirals of Silence in 2014, De Augustine signed to Asthmatic Kitty for his 2017 album Swim Inside the Moon. He later collaborated with Sufjan Stevens on the 2021 album A Beginner’s Mind. His 2019 track Time, from the album Tomb, gained wider exposure after being featured in the 2023 film A Good Person, becoming his most streamed song.

However, De Augustine said he was unable to engage with the increased attention due to his health condition.In the years following the illness, he underwent a gradual rehabilitation process that included relearning basic functions such as walking, speaking, hearing and performing music.

He described recovery as uneven, characterised by incremental improvement interspersed with setbacks. He temporarily returned to live with his mother due to his inability to manage daily activities independently.

De Augustine said emerging scientific discussions around the central nervous system may offer some explanation for his condition, although he emphasised that no formal diagnosis has been confirmed. He referred to the concept of allostatic load, describing it as the cumulative burden of chronic stress on the body’s regulatory systems.

According to his account, prolonged stress may have contributed to a breakdown in normal neurological functioning, leading to widespread physical symptoms. He identified the pressures associated with sustaining a career in the music industry as a potential contributing factor.

During recovery, he introduced structured physical and mental exercises into his routine and reported gradual improvement. He also identified therapeutic benefits from water-based activity, noting that symptoms temporarily subsided while he was in a pool, which he interpreted as an indication of stress-related triggers.

The experience has informed his subsequent album, Angel in Plainclothes, which incorporates themes of physical vulnerability and altered perception. De Augustine said several tracks reflect on the loss and gradual return of sensory and cognitive functions. He described one of the lead songs as capturing a sense of detachment from reality, comparing it to observing life without feeling fully present.

Due to physical limitations, De Augustine departed from his earlier approach of independently recording and producing his music. Instead, he collaborated with other musicians and producers, including Thomas Bartlett, who contributed piano arrangements, and Jonathan Wilson, who provided studio space and instrumentation.

His mother, a professional vocalist, also contributed to the recording process.He said the album’s sound was shaped in part by the use of a range of unconventional and antique instruments, reflecting an ongoing interest in exploring varied tonal textures. Recording sessions were conducted intermittently, depending on his physical condition at the time.

De Augustine resumed live performances in 2025 after a five-year hiatus, describing the experience as a controlled reintroduction to public performance. He said the return involved measured steps rather than a full-scale resumption of touring, citing ongoing health considerations.Reflecting on the period, De Augustine said the illness led him to reconsider his earlier approach to music and work.

He indicated that a singular focus on songwriting may have contributed to prolonged stress, and said his current priority is maintaining a more balanced lifestyle while continuing creative work.

He described his present condition as a combination of partial recovery and adaptation, noting that he does not yet consider himself fully restored to his previous state.

The iconic vocalist master of Persian traditional music was known for publicly speaking out against the regime’s brutal suppression of the 2009 nationwide protests and for his anti-regime rhetoric.

The large crowds that gathered outside Jam Hospital last night chanted “death to the dictator” echoing Shajarian’s own chant during the 2009 protests.

The video showing Shajarian in his car holding up a peace sign while saying “death to the dictator” during the protests was widely circulated on social media.

His fans also chanted against state-run TV and radio which had banned his image and voice until his death yesterday. Reports and videos indicate that a large number of security forces attacked Mohammad-Reza Shajarian’s fans last night beating them with batons. Several people were also arrested.

Netblocks, an organization that monitors international Internet outages, reported internet disruptions in Tehran as the commemoration gathering for Maestro Shajarian turned into anti-regime protests.

Thousands of Iranians also gathered today in Ferdowsi’s Tomb, where the iconic singer and composer will be buried. They sang some of his famous songs, shrouded in political allegory, in unison. A video circulating on social media showed an official at the Islamic Culture and Guidance Organization telling his fans that his funeral would be held on Saturday. Still, many Iranians were reluctant to leave due to their lack of trust in the government and security forces who had tried in vain to disperse crowds and prevent a gathering from taking place.

Several images on social media also showed a large number of security forces and riot police standing on the ready in Mashhad to prevent the gatherings from turning into protests.

Shajarian’s legacy in “standing with the people“, although Mohammad-Reza Shajarian was a legendary Iranian artist who changed the face of classical Iranian music, he was also beloved by the masses because of his willingness to speak out against the regime.

In a 2015 interview with Euronews, Shajarian said he was popular not only because of his music, but because he stood with the people, not the ruling elite. “Artists have to be very careful about how they behave. The community is very intelligent and conscious. I have tried to take the side of the people. My music is for the people, not for ministers and statesmen.”

He was also a firm believer in freedom and said in several interviews that Iranians would eventually prevail against the regime.

“The mentality of the majority is a priority over the mindset of one person and in the end, the majority will prevail”, he said in an interview with Australia’s SBS TV in 2010.

In another interview he said that “the people will fight for what they want and will eventually succeed.” Shajarian sided with protesters during 2009 protests across Iran when millions took to the streets against election fraud which saw the re-appointment of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president.

“After the president insulted the people and said that protesters were just ‘dust and trash’, I immediately told the BBC that I was also part of that ‘dust and trash’. My voice has always been for the ‘dust and trash’ and I won’t allow state-run TV and radio to use my voice anymore,” he said in another interview.

In 2002, Mohammad-Reza Shajarian said Iran had yet to see democracy and that his music reflected the pain and suffering of the people.

“Just look at our history. It’s full of war, killings, misery, pressure, and tyranny. And we still have not seen democracy. My music reflects this situation. You can’t ask music to turn a blind eye and just have fun and dance. We still have not reached the time to use that kind of music. For now, our music reflects our pain. This is all derived from tyranny and oppression. All our art has changed to reflect that”, Shajrain said.

Because of his massive popularity, the regime was only able to retaliate by banning his concerts and albums which only made him more popular. After an 11 year ban, the state-run IRIB TV, showed his image only to announce the news of his death on Thursday.

Playing the same Christmas songs all season long produces cognitive fatigue.

The sights and sounds of the holidays are here — and they’re completely inescapable. No matter where you go, it seems like the same classic songs are played on repeat.

This perception is spot on: Spotify reports that listening spikes during the last two months of the year. Michael Bublé’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” top the list of most streamed tunes.

But the incessant repetition can have a psychological impact. There’s a U-shaped relationship between how often we hear a song and how much we like it, what’s known as the mere exposure effect.

At first, holiday music may spark nostalgia and get you in the holiday spirit. But hearing “Jingle Bells” for the millionth time can lead to annoyance, boredom, and even distress, researchers say.

That’s because the brain becomes oversaturated, triggering a negative response. If you’re already worried about money, work, or seeing family during the holidays, the constant inundation of cheerful tunes may reinforce your stress instead of relieving it.

It can also be downright distracting, affecting employee productivity and irritating consumers. In fact, a 2011 Consumer Reports survey found that 23 percent of Americans dread holiday music.

Clinical psychologist Linda Blair says Christmas music can be mentally draining:

“People working in the shops [have to tune out] Christmas music, because if they don’t, it really does stop you from being able to focus on anything else…You’re simply spending all of your energy trying not to hear what you’re hearing.”

How can you strike the right balance of good cheer that doesn’t drive you crazy?

Switch up your music so people’s brains don’t get bored. Playing the same Christmas songs all season long produces cognitive fatigue. Practice good sound management by varying your playlists and keeping the volume in check.

Studies also show that wintry scents like pine and cinnamon help conjure happy emotions, so recruit other senses when celebrating.

If all else fails, a set of ear plugs makes a nice stocking stuffer.

Article first published on BusinessInsider.