Oscar nominee, Golden Globe, Grammy, and now BAFTA winner, Lady Gaga gave a powerful speech about mental health at the 61st Grammy’s. Her win for ‘Shallow’ from the film “A Star is Born” has been dominating this awards season. ‘Shallow’ is about the main characters, Ally and Jackson, pushing past the shallow and diving deep into love. As Ally’s character rises to fame, Jackson’s character descends into a dark space, which ultimately leads to him taking his own life.
This is a representation of many famous artists. Only this past year we lost our beloved Avicii, and shortly after, Mac Miller. Both battled similar demons, but we weren’t completely aware of this until after their deaths. Since then many actors and artists have opened up about their struggles with mental health, including stars like Ekali, Ookay, Getter, Flosstradamus, and more.
Asking for help isn’t easy. Of course, you want to but there is so much weight, fear, and hopelessness that stops many people from breaking through. There’s a stigma surrounding mental health, especially in the music industry. We see their lives and think they have it all. That because they are successful and famous, they are the happiest people on earth, and if they aren’t, then they’re ungrateful.
“If you see somebody that’s hurting, don’t look away. And if you’re hurting, even though it might be hard, try to find that bravery within yourself to dive deep and go tell somebody and take them up in your head with you.”
There is a lot of hate out there. The internet breeds it. This is why Lady Gaga’s speech is so important. People should feel safe to ask for help and should not be ridiculed for being “weak.” Overdoses are preventable. Suicide is preventable. And it begins by talking about it.
