Gabrielle is a chart-topping British singer and songwriter hailing from Hackney, east London.
Her musical began with the release of her classic debut single, “Dreams”, in 1993, which swiftly soared to the top of the UK singles chart, catapulting the singer into international acclaim.
Her vast repertoire boasts hits including “Going Nowhere”, “Give Me a Little More Time”, “Walk On By”, and the memorable appearance on “If You Ever” with East 17.
Following a brief hiatus, Gabrielle staged a triumphant return with “Rise” in 2000, marking her second UK number one, with the album topping the UK albums chart for three consecutive weeks.
Notable among her achievements is the success of “Out of Reach” from the soundtrack of the film, Bridget Jones’s Diary, which clinched the fourth position on the UK singles chart.
At 54 years old, she recently made a more recent appearances in Stormzy’s “Mel Made Me Do It” music video, while she also graced ITV’s The Masked Singer as Harlequin.
Gabrielle is set to embark on her grandest UK tour yet in 2025, which will capture audiences in Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Newcastle.
Despite her illustrious career and forthcoming tour excitement, fans are constantly left wondering – why does Gabrielle always conceal one eye? The enigma continues to intrigue audiences, sparking discussions online after her recent appearance on BBC’s The Graham Norton Show.
Why does Gabrielle always cover one eye?
Gabrielle has ptosis, a condition causing drooping of the upper eyelid which began in childhood, leading to a corrective surgery that left her with a shortened eyelid.
Despite the physical challenge, her emotional struggles were equally daunting, battling depression and enduring bullying during her school years, where classmates teased her for her condition.
In a candid interview with The Guardian in 2018, she underscoring the discomfort she feels when appearing in public with her eye on display: “The idea of going out and showing my eye is like going out without my knickers on. It just wouldn’t happen,” she said.
During her appearance on talk-show Loose Women, Gabrielle added: “I choose to cover my lazy eye because I don’t want it to be seen. It’s my comfort blanket and it makes me happy.”
In a recent BBC interview, she said: “The moment I wore the eyepatch, and could actually have a conversation one-on-one without my eyes wandering because I didn’t want you to notice my eyelid so much, it changed me.
“I felt truly empowered. And yeah, I think it was totally a game changer for me in my career.”
What is ptosis?
Ptosis is characterised by the drooping of one or both upper eyelids over the eye and can range from barely noticeable to obstructing the pupil which can impede normal vision.
For some people, it may come or go and for others it may be permanent. It can either be present at birth – congenital ptosis – or it can be developed later in life, known as acquired ptosis.
It can also occur due to trauma, age or various medical disorders.
In children, ptosis, termed congenital ptosis, may stem from issues with the levator muscle responsible for lifting the eyelid, according to The Lion’s Institute.
If severe, it can hinder vision development, potentially leading to amblyopia, commonly known as “lazy eye.”
Adults experience involutional ptosis, often due to the aging process, eye injuries, or certain surgical interventions. Underlying diseases may also affect the eyelid muscles which can lead to a diagnosis of ptosis.
The primary symptom of ptosis is the noticeable drooping of the eyelid, with severity varying among individuals.
Diagnosis involves a comprehensive assessment by an ophthalmologist, considering not only the eyelid condition but also medical history and familial predispositions to ptosis or related muscle disorders.
In cases where ptosis affects vision, especially in children, surgical intervention is typically recommended to improve visual function.
For adults with drooping eyelids, surgery also remains the primary treatment approach.
