The singer was hospitalized after experiencing complications from sickle cell disease and is now focused on regaining her strength.
TLC singer Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins is recovering after a sickle cell crisis required hospitalization and forced her to miss several dates on the group’s “It’s Iconic” tour.
The Sun reported that Watkins was absent from TLC’s Aug. 28 show at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, where bandmate Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas performed without her and asked fans to support T-Boz as she recovered.
TLC representative Christal Jordan later confirmed that Watkins had experienced a sickle cell crisis that required hospitalization. Jordan said the 56-year-old singer is “currently recovering and regaining her strength.”
The group has continued performing while Watkins recovers, with Chilli handling TLC’s portions of the show alongside support from Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue and fans. Jordan said audiences have sung T-Boz’s parts and offered prayers during her absence.
The tour began Aug. 15 in Franklin, Tennessee, and is scheduled to run through Oct. 11 in Concord, California. Live Nation listings show TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue still have multiple dates scheduled through September and October.
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Watkins has lived with sickle cell disease since childhood and has spoken publicly for years about the condition. In a 2018 story for TheGrio, she described repeated hospital stays and said sickle cell complications had sometimes made it impossible for her to walk or go on tour.
Her latest hospitalization is different from the emergency she experienced in August 2024. At that time, Watkins was hospitalized with a severe abdominal blockage caused by scar tissue from an earlier surgery. She later pushed back against speculation that the episode was related to sickle cell disease.
No date has been announced for Watkins’ return to the stage. TLC’s team has said the tour will continue while she recovers and has asked fans to keep supporting her.
The health scare comes as TLC remains one of the featured acts on the “It’s Iconic” tour, which brings together three influential female groups from 1990s R&B and hip-hop.
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