8 songs by women/nonbinary artists that address mental health
Written by Talia Bina
Over centuries, music has been an outlet for individuals to discuss their struggles and strengths. Many celebrities and artists have begun to open up more and put their difficulties on display, often touching upon important topics such as abuse, mental health and relationship issues. Much stigma still exists around mental disorders, but the discussion about these topics have allowed a comfortable creative space to form, and the form of music has allowed individuals to peek out of their shell and talk about their feelings. Women have strongly begun to break their silence, and women of color are slowly making their way to the surface. Here are eight songs by artists of color who have bravely discussed their mental health openly:
"breathin" — Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande always seems to be writing songs about meaningful topics such as heartbreak, mental health and sex. Her song “breathin” may have a super catchy, upbeat tone, but the song holds a powerful message. In this song, she explains the anxiety she faces and the struggle her body and mind seem to have when she feels anxious. She seems to be reminding herself to “just keep breathing” and get through the panic and controlling thoughts she experiences. Grande told “Vogue” that after the Manchester bombing, she experienced heightened anxiety and PTSD that she seems to reflect in this song.
"24/7" — Kehlani
Kehlani, a mixed-ethnicity artist who describes herself as “Black, white, Native American, Mexican, Spanish and Filipino” and has struggled with depression and anxiety for quite a while. In this song, Kehlani expresses that it’s OK to not feel OK 24/7. They mention that she has days where she feels depressed and that they have learned to accept their pain and let herself feel it rather than force herself to feel content all the time.
"Anyone" — Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato is well known for writing songs about their difficult experiences with sobriety, heartbreak and mental illness. Lovato wrote this song when she was in a dark place, just days before her 2018 overdose. They tearfully returned to the musical spotlight as she performed this song at the 2020 Grammys. The song exposes their loneliness and how they simply needed “anyone” to listen to her and how she “confided into alcohol” instead.
"Heavy" — Kiana Ledé (ft. Jenifer Lewis)
Kiana Ledé, born to a Mexican and Native American mother and an African American and Native American father, seems deeply connected to her roots and has a strong sense of identity. Her song “Heavy” describes the weight the difficulties in her life brought onto her. She explains how she feels lost but hopes that in the future, she will understand herself more and can view the sadness and anxiety she feels in a more positive light.
"I’m Not OK" — H.E.R.
H.E.R is not only a beautiful individual, but she writes beautiful music with an angelic voice. The song “I’m Not OK” displays the anxiety she faces and the rambling thoughts that accompany it. When she has performed this song on tour, she has explained that through this song, she wants to send the message that it’s OK not to be OK, especially since people often hide their feelings and put on a facade.
"Quiet" — MILCK
Connie K. Lim, professionally known as MILCK, gained attention after performing this song at the 2017 Women's March. It soon became embraced as an anthem for the movement due to its strong message. MILCK explains how she often puts on a “face” and pretends to be OK when she’s actually struggling. She also explains how she often stayed silent about her struggles, such as dealing with sexual abuse, but decided she “can’t keep quiet” and now speaks her truth. Through this song, she empowers people to talk about their struggles rather than fearing how people may react.
"Gasoline" — Halsey
Halsey is an artist who has been very vocal about her struggles and hasn’t hesitated to speak about difficult and emotional topics. In this song, Halsey touches on their bipolar disorder by emphasizing her thoughts and actions during a manic episode. They explain how they feel people view her and her mental disorder and express that they don’t think she is accepted and is probably judged about it. She displays her inner demons while expressing that her struggles aren’t controllable and are a part of them.
"OK (Anxiety Anthem)" — Mabel
Mabel begins this song with an all-too-familiar phrase about knots in her chest. From the start, she starts to expand on how anxiety feels and how it inhibits her ability to function. She explains how she cries, experiences insomnia, self-harms and feels enormous pain due to her mental health struggles. However, she also brings encouragement and empowerment to this song by saying “everything’s gonna be OK.”
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This article was originally published on Parachute Media
