LeAnn Rimes reflects on surviving fame, admits a lot of child stars 'don’t see 43’

LeAnn Rimes opened up about how she has overcome difficult times in her life.

During a recent interview with Us Weekly, the 43-year-old country star, who made her return to acting in the new spinoff series "9-1-1: Nashville" on Thursday, reflected on reaching her lowest points and shared how she has persevered through life’s challenges.

"We all have to break — and not just once. It will happen often. Rock bottom looks different for everybody [but] you have a choice," Rimes said. "In my darkest moments, it’s always been about, ‘How do I find the light again?’"

Rimes has spent most of her life in the public eye after achieving success at a young age. The singer was just 13 when she rose to fame in 1996 with the hit song "Blue," becoming a sensation for her remarkably mature vocals.

LEANN RIMES DISCUSSES FIGHTING DEPRESSION, ANXIETY: 'I HAD SO MUCH UNDERLYING GRIEF'

That same year, she released her critically acclaimed debut album "Blue," which premiered at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart. In 1997, Rimes won the Grammy Award for best female country vocal performance for "Blue" and became the youngest person ever to receive the Grammy for best new artist at 14.

After breaking through in country music, Rimes crossed over into pop with hits including 1997’s "How Do I Live," which set several records on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA.

Rimes’ 1997 album "You Light Up My Life" topped both the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums charts, further cementing her crossover appeal. By 17, Rimes had sold more than 20 million records worldwide.

However, Rimes’ early success did not come without challenges. Over the years, she has been candid about struggling with her mental health and the pressures of child stardom.

The day after her 30th birthday in 2012, Rimes entered a 30-day inpatient treatment facility for issues related to anxiety, stress and emotional exhaustion.

While speaking to Business Insider in 2022, Rimes recalled being in a "very, very dark place" at the time.

"I had never been alone," Rimes remembered. "There was always someone around, whether it be a parent or a manager, an agent or a publicist, or a husband, or whatever it was."

"It was just time," she said of entering treatment. "It was time for me to break away from my deep codependency and to figure out what was chemically going on to be able to take care of myself."

Speaking with Us Weekly, Rimes explained that being a child star often felt isolating.

"I was this kid in a very adult world, so I always felt like an outcast," she said. "The whole industry had this camaraderie that I wasn’t included in because I was so young."

Rimes said her own experiences motivated her to become a coach on the singing competition TV series "The Voice Australia" in 2024. She later served as a coach on "The Voice UK" that same year.

"It was important for me to go on those shows and be able to mentor other people, because I didn’t have that," she said.

In her interview with Us Weekly, Rimes said the lifetime achievement that gives her the most pride is surviving the pitfalls of child stardom — noting that many others have died young.

"I'm proud of being here, because a lot of people that start at my age don’t see 43," she said. "I’ll cry talking about it, but I’m really proud of the fact that I’m doing good and I’m thriving."

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"I’ve gone through so much, and I’m in awe. It just feels like this massive evolution into someone who is grounded in humanity and not running away from those aspects of myself," Rimes continued. "That’s what I’m most proud of — that what you see is what you get with me."

During a 2024 interview with the Scottish Sun, the "Can’t Fight the Moonlight" hitmaker reflected on how she handled the pressures of fame compared to other child stars whose struggles played out in public.

"Oh no, I didn’t avoid it," Rimes admitted. "I mean, I did [go off the rails]. I definitely had my breakdowns, just like any human does. You go through those dark times in your life and you grow from them, hopefully – and I did."

"Look, I have plenty of trauma from being in this business," she added. "You’re gonna have it, whether you’re a child or not."

The actress has also spoken about how public scrutiny intensified as she entered adulthood. In 2009, she faced heavy backlash after it was revealed that she was having an affair with actor Eddie Cibrian. The two first met while co-starring in the Lifetime movie "Northern Lights" that same year — a project that marked her debut as a leading actress in a scripted drama.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

At the time, both were married — Rimes to backup dancer Dean Sheremet, whom she wed in 2002, and Cibrian to TV personality Brandi Glanville, whom he married in 2001. Cibrian and Glanville share two sons, Mason, 22, and Jake, 18.

The scandal erupted after Us Weekly published photos and surveillance footage showing Rimes and Cibrian on a romantic date. Both initially denied the affair, though Rimes later admitted to it.

Both marriages ended in divorce in 2010, and Rimes and Cibrian married the following year in a private ceremony.

In a 2010 interview with People, Rimes admitted she considered the affair with Cibrian "one of the most selfish things that I could possibly do, in hurting someone else."

"I take responsibility for everything I've done. I hate that people got hurt, but I don't regret the outcome," she added.

Rimes has described experiencing cycles of praise and harsh criticism — both as a child star and during her affair with Cibrian.

"I've been built up and torn down, built up and torn down," she told People in 2012, via Taste of Country. "It's been difficult to tune people out, especially in the last few years."

During a 2025 appearance on the "Flow Space" podcast, Rimes said she felt she had become a symbol for people’s anger over infidelity amid the controversy surrounding her relationship with Cibrian.

BRANDI GLANVILLE SAYS SHE AND LEANN RIMES ARE ‘LIKE SISTER WIVES’ AFTER A ‘DECADE OF FIGHTING’

"I realized very quickly that there are a lot of women who’ve been hurt. Like, I’ve been on both sides of that coin — I’ve been cheated on, too, so I know that feeling," she said, according to People. "But so many women don’t know what to do with that anger."

"I was a target that was just easily projected upon," Rimes continued. "And once I realized that, things got a lot easier."

"I know what I’m responsible for in the situation and making amends for that," she added. "But you know, the world’s pain is not mine to carry, and I think that really got thrown at me for a long time."

Since the affair and public fallout, Rimes and Glanville have reconciled and developed a close relationship. "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star has spoken warmly of the blended family she shares with Rimes, Cibrian and her two sons — even joking on social media that she and the "Life Goes On" singer are like "sister wives."

In her interview with Us Weekly, Rimes — who celebrated 14 years of marriage with Cibrian in April 2025 — reflected on how their relationship has evolved over time.

"If I look back at our relationship, I’m really in awe of the things that we’ve endured and how we’ve grown together," she said. "The place we’re in now is just so comfortable and calm and quiet. We really find our quiet together. That’s really important."

In addition to her personal and professional struggles, Rimes has also been candid about the health challenges she continues to face.

The singer has openly shared that she continues to manage anxiety and depression. In 2015, she revealed she had been diagnosed with the chronic skin condition psoriasis when she was two years old. In 2020, Rimes posted a nude photo on Instagram taken during a psoriasis flare-up, writing in the caption that she was "finally" embracing her condition.

During her interview with Us Weekly, Rimes recalled how she felt about posting the image.

"It was such a moment of relief because I had been hiding that for so long," she said. "The same with my mental health and now with perimenopause. Every time I talk about it, I set myself — and someone else — free."

"For so long, it did feel like I was hiding so much of myself," Rimes continued. "It did allow for the insecurity of thoughts I’ve had in the past about ‘I’m not pretty, I’m not good enough.’ I did learn how to love myself through all of my different incarnations."

Rimes also reflected on what she considers the key to thriving at 43.

"As you get older, there’s so much that has to be done in order to maintain and take care of your body and your mind," she said. "Thriving for me is really becoming disciplined about my health and my goals. That just allows me the space to be able to do whatever I want to from that place of really grounded care."