Vandross has sold more than 20 million records

Singer Luther Vandross remains in critical condition in hospital and still needs help to breathe, his publicist has said.

Vandross, 52, has had a tracheotomy throat operation to fight off pneumonia after suffering a stroke last month.

The award-winning singer has been in hospital in New York since falling ill at his home in Manhattan on 16 April.

His spokeswoman Lois Najarian said he had not regained consciousness.

"There's been no radical change in his condition," she said.

She said doctors remained hopeful that his condition would improve.

Vandross was said to have been in good health before the stroke.

However, he has a history of weight problems, and once weighed more than 300 pounds.

He has also suffered from hypertension and diabetes.

Vandross has sold more than 20 million records during his career, and won four Grammy awards in the 1990s.