Back in October for World Mental Health Day, we partnered with rap artist HAYDN and videographer Jonah Geh (@prtywhale) on the video for HAYDN’s latest song, “Finally” – which you can listen to on YouTube here.
As #Movember comes to a close one month later, we wanted to catch up with HAYDN to learn more about his personal journey, challenges with mental health, and how he turns to spirituality to get through tough times. Here’s what he had to say.
An Interview with HAYDN
Q: What’s your story and how did you get your start in the music industry?
“I was born in a little town named Hereford. I started writing music and poetry at the age of 17. I’m 27 now but still feel like I’m only just beginning.”
Q: What does the creative process look like for you?
“My writing normally starts with a word or an idea, often through random mumblings onto a voice recording which will then start to turn into a song as I craft it.”
Q: What was the inspiration behind your recent song “Finally”?
“Suicide awareness. Nobody is immune to mental health issues and we can all sometimes struggle with life, I wanted to show people there is still hope even when everything seems otherwise.”
Q: Could you tell us about a time where you struggled with your mental health? What did you do to overcome it?
“I had anorexia and bulimia when I was younger. I still struggle sometimes. But the biggest turning point was learning to love myself and understanding God loves me too. Even if I’m unhappy with my body occasionally.”
“I always think of it like this: ‘Happiness comes with happenings, Joy is consistent’. I avoid placing my serenity in stuff that happens cause the next day something else may happen. But God never changes.”
Q: Do you have any tips for men who may be struggling to open up about their mental health?
“I keep my circle pretty small (I have 1 or 2 people who are there when I’m a wreck). Try to open up to someone who would take a bullet for me. Keeping your issues and struggles buried never helps deal with anything and will only make you more unhappy.”
Q: 2020 has been a tough year for all of us, but as we look ahead into 2021, what are you the most excited about? Have you learned anything about yourself this year?
“I’m dropping my first single in January, and then new music every month after that in 2021, I’m very excited for that. It’s been a tough year for sure.. but I’ve learned to relax more with who I am and to embrace it rather than avoid it.”
Relevant Links & Resources
For the latest music and videos from HAYDN, you can follow him on Instagram here.
You can also be on the lookout for his upcoming single (coming this January) on Spotify here.
For more resources on men and mental health, check out our latest article “Celebrating #Movember With a Roundup of The Lily-Jo Project’s Top Mental Health Resources for Men”.
For more mental health advice, visit www.thelilyjoproject.com/#help.
