Interview by: Lindsy Carrasquillo
Words by: Lindsy Carrasquillo
As May was Mental Health Awareness Month, many people shared their struggles and opened up the conversation surrounding the stigma the topic faces. However, it is important that people talk about it regardless of what time of year it may be. The Nashville native and singer/song writer Daphne Willis tackles this issue in her newest single “Somebody’s Someone.” The emotional piano based track tackles mental health as well as dealing with issues of addiction and homelessness.
She grew up in a musical household as her parents both teach music and was inspired by artists such as Michael Jackson, The Beatles and Frank Sinatra. While her first release was acoustic based and Jack Johnson inspired, her music is now more pop leaning with r&b influences. Her single uses a simple piano line with beautiful harmonies that allows listeners to focus on her message.
“Music opens up the conversation and says the things you can’t say to people. If you can’t verbalize something, send the person a song and let it say things for you,” Willis said.
“I’ve been affected my mental health issues throughout my life. Everyone goes through something. I wrote this song with Jen Bostwick from Nashville, it kinda felt like a therapy session,” Willis said.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, one in five adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness in a given year, that’s 43.8 million people. As mental health is not something many people are educated on in traditional learning institutions such as school, it can be easy for someone to believe that they are facing issues alone. For many, music can be that light in the dark that brings a sense of hope and understanding.
“The more we all talk to each other about our struggles, the more we allow ourselves to be vulnerable,” Willis said.
Her new record will be released this summer and she is gearing up for a tour in the fall.
For more information on Mental Health Awareness, click here. To get involved and volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, go here.
