Taylor Dayne Says Performing Live Is ‘Humbling’ After Colon Cancer Diagnosis: ‘Gratitude Is Immeasurable’ (Exclusive)

The Grammy-nominated singer is more present and vulnerable now — but she’s still ready to take fans on the ride of their lives

Taylor Dayne is ready to get back on the road.

Two years after what she has described as a “dark” journey with colon cancer, the Grammy-nominated singer tells PEOPLE that she’s busy prepping an international tour set to launch in March of next year — not to mention a Sept. 7 performance alongside fellow ’80s pop icon Tiffany at the Agua Caliente Casino in Cathedral City, Calif.  

“I’m known as the singers’ singer, so it’s very important for me to make sure that I tell a story in a way that takes fans on a journey, but also they should reimagine me,” Dayne tells PEOPLE of her preparation for her upcoming live shows. “You want to be in the artist’s head.”

Dayne’s resilience is, frankly, staggering. After being diagnosed in July of 2021, the singer underwent surgery to remove 10 inches of her colon. While she was immediately declared cancer free, a post-op infection saw her hospitalized for nearly a month. But she was back onstage by late August of that year and has continued to perform consistently over the past two years, releasing a new E.P., The Capitol Session, this past April. In July, she wrapped her recent Love Me Tour.