Music sheds light on today’s issues faced such as mental health. Mental health awareness has become a prevalent issue in our day-to-day life. If it is not addressed, some may suffer from depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, only to mention a few. Therefore, it takes courage for artists to share what they are going through with their listeners. Henceforth, the song, “You Are Not Alone” plays a part in shedding light on mental health. It premiered on January 29, 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The song was inspired by what Meredith O’Conner went through struggling with mental health. In an interview with Girl Talk HQ, Meredith said, “The idea for this campaign is years old, inspired both by how alone I felt undergoing bullying, OCD (and later learned PTSD as well) and the feeling of isolation made my experiences that much harder. However, the overall process of therapy and healing has shown me that I was not alone in these experiences, which gave me so much hope. Later, when my music career took off on tour, I noticed how universal some of the experiences I had were. It became my mission to do what I can to offer things that I wish I knew in middle school especially.” During this critical period, Meredith collaborated with NAMI to raise money for the non-profit organization. Celebrities from all over the world come together with some of the biggest names in K-Pop, Bollywood, Afropop, and more to promote mental health awareness through the song's message. Moreover, it is dedicated to remembering and honouring the legacy of Mary Wilson, an icon and trailblazer in the music industry.
When looking at the visuals, each artist shares their vocals which leave listeners in awe to appreciate the message sent across. For instance, Meredith O’Connor said at the beginning of the song:
“Inside my mind felt like some cruel experiment / To see how far how dark the thoughts in my head could get”?
She is talking from a personal experience. After going through bullying, OCD and PTSD, she felt isolated to the extent in her mind felt like a cruel experiment. She had dark thoughts and felt like she couldn’t depend on anyone for support.
As the song progresses to the chorus, the message brings a sense of peace and encouragement to the listeners.
“You are not alone / You think you gotta bear it all on your own / You are not alone / Once you break the silence you’re gonna know / You look at me and think I’d never understand but I have been where you are to get to what I am / You can build a castle with the stones they throw / Survivors become heroes / You are not alone You are not alone”
Various artists such as Reekado Banks, Di Ferrero, Maryse, Luliana Beregol, Mackenzie Sol and Ruggero blended well with the chorus. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, they had to record their verses separately yet despite the social distance, they managed to create a good song.
In a nutshell, I love the message behind the track. Mental health should be addressed in society. Moreover, I liked the production of the song, it was simple yet perfect to get the message across. The only downfall is that I would have liked all artists to collaborate in a music video face-to-face. Nonetheless, it is understandable due to covid 19 restrictions. Therefore, I rate the track around 8.5/10.
YouTube Link to “You Are Not Alone”: https://youtu.be/fkYxmZksFmo
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