Marcus King is getting honest with his fans.
Last week was Suicide Awareness Week, and while many noted the importance of prioritizing your mental health, Marcus King chatted about his struggles on social media.
King has been very candid in the past about his mental health, how it led to substance abuse issues, and his struggle to overcome it. In this sit-down video, he once again chats with fans about the reality of his personal life.
It’s not always filled with the fun part of being on tour and playing a gig every night:
“Lots of people have lots of reasons for not talking about their mental health. We can help break the stigma.”
He went on to explain his own battle with mental health:
“Mental health, to me, is something you can be in remission from, but it’s not something that is ever completely cured. My mental health battles and substance abuse issues- it’s always been something I’ve struggled with, and those who are close to me know that.
Being a man and talking about being suicidal… sometimes it’s difficult as a male, and you want to be more machismo about it. You don’t want to talk about that cowardly, you know, way out. And then you feel like you’re a coward because you couldn’t do it.
You know whether you don’t want to see your friends react in a negative way to what you’re saying. Or maybe you don’t want your boss to hear you talking about being a little mentally unhinged.”
King then talks about how music has always been a powerful tool when he mentally doesn’t feel his best.
Being able to put those thoughts into lyrics serves as a form of therapy to work through those dark or negative thoughts.
“Goodbye Carolina,” – a fan favorite hit, has a heavy-hitting underlying message as King wrote about a good friend who took his life.
“He committed suicide, and it really struck me. Just the uncertainty of it that makes it really difficult. Especially for a grieving family.
For a lot of us out there, it feels like the only solution, but there are people out there who care. We can all grow together. That’s kind of my piece on it.”
Once I learned the song’s backstory, I dove into the lyrics, which unveiled the complex thoughts of healing from knowing someone who took their life.
“Where I’m going, I won’t have these reminders of what I lost
What was taken away from me
And I hope you’ll understand
I was a broken man in my own hometown
Need to find my own peace…”
It takes a lot of bravery to be as vulnerable as King in this video. But it highlights the importance that artists we sometimes idolize have their struggles.
This sit-down also serves as a gentle reminder that we often relate to an artist’s lyrics because they tell the story of their struggles.
Thank you, Marcus King, for sharing your story.
@marcusking Lots of people have lots of reasons for not talking about their mental health. We can help break the stigma. #TalkAwayTheDark ♬ original sound – Marcus King
While you’re here, take a listen to “Goodbye Carolina,” as I’m sure you will hear the lyrics in a new light.
