Billy Joel Says He Can't Drive or Perform

Billy Joel says it is unclear when he will perform again after his 2025 brain disorder diagnosis, telling the Hollywood Reporter he must first undergo “a series of tests.”

According to the L-A Times, the 77-year-old singer is not allowed to drive and cannot return to the stage, he said in the interview published Thursday. “What the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion,” Joel explained. Doctors have warned that lighting and sound can stress the body, and they told him, “You really shouldn’t be doing that right now.”

Joel canceled concerts in May 2025 after revealing he had normal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH. In a statement at the time, he said the condition had been exacerbated by recent performances, causing problems with hearing, vision, and balance, and that doctors had advised him to refrain from performing while undergoing physical therapy.

He reports that he is currently “OK” and that the diagnosis is “not that serious,” but neurologists still want further testing before clearing him to perform again—something he said he would like to do.

NPH occurs when excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain’s ventricles and can cause cognitive issues, walking difficulties, and balance problems. It is one of the few forms of dementia that can sometimes be controlled or reversed with surgery, typically a shunt. Joel initially postponed shows in March 2025 after unspecified surgery and physical therapy, weeks after losing his balance onstage in February; it is unclear whether those events were related to the NPH diagnosis he made public in May.