Weezer have invited fan Kira Iaconetti to one of their upcoming shows in 2019 after footage of her singing the band’s song ‘Island in the Sun’ during her brain surgery went viral.
19-year-old Iaconetti, who performs in musical theatre and is an aspiring musician, was recently diagnosed with a form of epilepsy that triggered seizures when she listened to or performed music. “It just [felt] like a light switch switches in my brain and suddenly I’m tone deaf. I can’t sing. I can’t process the words in time with the music,” she said about the severity of her condition.
Doctors decided that Iaconetti could be treated for her condition through an awake craniotomy, in which she was put under anesthesia but kept awake during the surgery and asked to sing – so doctors could see which part of her brain was used by her when she sang.
Video footage of Iaconetti singing during her surgery has since emerged, with the musician choosing to sing the 2001 Weezer track ‘Island in the Sun’ as it both reminded her of her birthplace Hawaii and because of the line “I can’t control my brain”.
The surgery was successful – with the Seattle Children’s Hospital confirming that Iaconetti was playing guitar and singing in her hospital bed 48 hours after the operation.
Wishing you a speedy recovery, @kirakuuihe! https://t.co/3yNE7hHluz would love for you to join us at one of the shows this spring – shoot us a DM + we’ll make it happen.
— weezer (@Weezer) November 18, 2018
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Following the publication of Iaconetti’s remarkable story, Weezer reached out and invited her to join them on one of their tour dates next Spring – see their post above.
Last month, Weezer finally announced ‘The Black Album’ – which frontman Rivers Cuomo has told NME will be “darker” and “more experimental and wildly negative”.