Gabrielle, the 90s music icon known for her hits like 'Dreams' and 'Rise', has recently spoken about how her eye patch was a 'game changer' for her career. The singer, whose real name is Louise Gabrielle Bobb, appeared on James Martin's Saturday Morning today (May 11).
The 54-year-old star has always concealed her right eye due to a health condition she was born with. She has used various methods to cover her eye, including sunglasses, her hair, hats, and an eyepatch, revealing that only her closest friends have seen her without these.
Gabrielle was diagnosed with ptosis in her childhood. According to the NHS, Ptosis is a condition where the upper eyelid droops.
While it can be mild and mostly cosmetic, severe cases can see the lid margin covering part of the pupil, obstructing the upper part of the eye.
Despite undergoing surgery for the condition, Gabrielle was left with a shortened eyelid. She has previously opened up about her struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts during her school years, reports Birmingham Live.
Reflecting on her school days, she shared that her classmates would mock her, calling her a 'r******' and accusing her of constantly winking at them due to her flickering eyelid. She once told the Guardian in 2018 that only her very close friends get to see her eye, saying: "The idea of going out and showing my eye is like going out without my knickers on. It just wouldn't happen."
In an interview with BBC Radio Wales, Gabrielle spoke about the transformative impact of her eye patch, calling it a 'game changer'. She explained: "Prior to that if I'd have a conversation with somebody, I would never look that person directly in the eye."
"I'd be looking elsewhere whilst having a conversation, which on the surface seems really rude, but I was very insecure about my eye and the way I looked."
