Seven words from a jazz elder statesman helped change the way Michael Bublé viewed his own future — and reminded him that his voice mattered far beyond sales charts and industry trophies.

VANCOUVER — In 2016, Michael Bublé stepped away from performing when his young son faced a serious illness. At that time, Bublé made it clear that he did not plan to return to the stage. His frame of mind was total focus on his child — every concert, every career milestone, every ambition was paused.

He later said he felt he was finished with music, explaining that nothing in his professional world seemed significant compared to protecting his family.

encouragement from a legend

During this quiet period away from the spotlight, Tony Bennett — one of the most respected figures in the standards world, and someone who had recorded with Bublé years earlier — sent a message that Bublé said he will never forget.

Seven simple words.

A gentle push.

A reminder.

A personal note that underscored both belief in Bublé’s talent and belief in Bublé’s role in the tradition of the modern crooner.

Bublé has often spoken about how deeply he respected Bennett, and how the elder singer’s message acted like a bridge between grief and possibility. It was not pressure — it was affirmation. It was someone who understood the craft telling him he still had something to offer.

a careful, hopeful return

As his son’s condition improved and treatment moved toward remission, Bublé gradually allowed himself to imagine making records again. When he did return in 2018 with the album Love (❤️), it wasn’t framed as a comeback based on ambition — it was framed as gratitude.

Listeners responded — the record reached No. 1 in the United States and earned strong sales in multiple countries.

the legacy of those seven words

Bublé has acknowledged many forms of support from friends, fans, and colleagues during that difficult period, but the message from Tony Bennett stands out because of who delivered it and when it arrived.

It was a small sentence — but it came from a voice that carried decades of artistic credibility.

And it helped remind Bublé that, even in the most challenging chapters of life, creativity can remain a pathway — not to escape pain, but to navigate it.

Those seven words — brief, caring, pointed — helped pull music back into his life as something worth keeping.