Lindsay Ell Was 'Absolutely Blindsided' by Pre-Cancerous Health Scare (Exclusive)

The 'Criminal' singer opened up about turning 30 and putting her health first in an interview with ET Live at the 2019 ACM Awards.

Lindsay Ell is "feeling great" months after undergoing surgery. 

The "Criminal" singer hit the red carpet in a stunning, neon yellow gown for the 2019 Academy of Country Music Awards with much to celebrate. Ell recently turned 30 and overcame a sudden health scare. 

"I felt completely fine. I went into the doctor for a checkup and she said she found some pre-cancerous cells," Ell told ET Live. "I was absolutely blindsided. I'm kind of a health nut -- I love working out, I love eating healthy, and I just never would have thought about it. I'm like, 'Cancer?!' I'm young! We just don't think about these things." 

Ell documented her journey through surgery as she had the pre-cancerous cells removed in Februrary, hoping to encourage friends and fans to make annual appointments with their doctors. 

"I was talking to a few friends of mine and I found out that most of my friends hadn't been to the doctor in over 10 years," she said. "We just don't think about it! We go to work every day and we just don't think. You're like, 'I feel great, I don't need to go to the doctor.' And so I decided I just felt inclined to post about it." 

Ell's fans have responded in kind, reaching out to her and promising that they, too, would make appointments to have their health checked out. 

"If I've inspired even a few people to go see the doctor," she said, "it takes an hour out of your year and you never know, you could be saving your life." 

In March, Ell rang in her 30th birthday with her band at the Sydney Opera House in Australia while on tour. 

"I'm so grateful for everything I learned in my 20s, they were amazing, but I finally feel like I know who I am and I know what I want," she said of the milestone birthday. "I'm single right now and so it's like, it's a good time. I just feel so glad that I'm a woman. I feel so powerful to be surrounded by so many incredible women on this carpet. I'm really excited to see what the 30s have in store." 

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