The story of Phyllis Hyman & her many woes | Closeted Bis*xual, Drugs, & Self betrayal

When we talk about the ‘greats’ of the past, although subjective, you may think of the likes of Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Janet Jackson and many many others. These artists made a huge impact not only in the music world, but our lives giving us timeless hits that’ll be remembered for a lifetime. In the midst of all these great artists who definitely deserved their flowers, there are those who just weren’t able to reach that caliber of success within their own career. Yet, their impacts were felt nearly the same in different ways. One artist in particular being Phyllis Hyman. Responsible for hits like “Can’t We Fall In Love,” and “You Know How To Love Me.” She gained traction when she was featured on Norman Connors album “You Are My Starship” and the trajectory of her career looked promising. Despite her outgoing and comforting personality, what people didn’t know was the ongoing internal battle Phyllis was suffering from for quite some time. Bipolar Disorder and manic depression were spiraling behind the scenes and her music mimicked this often centering around love, and loneliness which continued to manifest into her life.

Added 31 Jul 2026