Sara Smith for APGAd
Mental health has been a prevalent topic of conversation in recent years as more and more people speak openly about their struggles and the importance of seeking help. In the entertainment industry, where image and success are often prioritized above all else, it can be incredibly challenging for artists to be vulnerable and honest about their mental health. Singer-songwriter Taylor Grey is one of the artists breaking the mold.
A multi-talented artist, the Stanford grad and NorCal native is making waves in the music industry with her raw and authentic lyricism and her powerful message of mental health advocacy. Racking up the accolades as her career takes off, she's signed a new publishing deal with Regard Music, added over 3.5 million streams on Spotify alone and has previously toured internationally with Why Don't We. But it's not just her music that sets her apart; Taylor is also a vocal advocate for mental health, using her platform to share her own struggles and to empower others to seek help.
On her latest album, Twilight Hour, Taylor delves deep into her personal experiences on her road to reclaiming her sense of well-being; touching on themes of self-discovery, healing, and hope. The album reflects Taylor's journey to recovery, as she has struggled most of her life with an eating disorder. "Finding my road to healing has been a long journey for me, but it is one I wouldn't trade in for anything," Grey intimately shared.
Once she understood the isolation it had created in her own life, she has been reflectively able to see how sharing her story could be helpful to others. "It's something that I'd felt trapped by my entire life and I know so many people who also think recovery isn't in the cards for them or wasn't something they even wanted. I'm not a therapist and I certainly don't feel qualified to give any sort of advice, but what I do know is that people being really brutally honest about their experiences helped me come to terms with mine, so I'm getting more comfortable being more vocal about it in the hopes that someone else feels less alienated too."
Through her music she has connected with her fans on a deeper, more personal level that's provided a sense of understanding and validation for those who are also struggling with their own mental health issues.
As Taylor has shared in interviews and in her music, her struggles with mental health began early in her life. For years, she unknowingly battled with an eating disorder, but it wasn't until she was in college that she realized the root of her condition was much deeper than just the symptoms. After several failed attempts at recovery, Taylor finally realized that she needed to heal her depression and anxiety first before she could ever hope to heal the surface-level symptoms.
At this point, Taylor turned to music as an outlet for her feelings. Writing songs became a way for her to process and make sense of her struggles. "One thing I have come to understand is that real, lasting change comes from tiny, imperceivable steps. You don't realize how much you have grown until suddenly, you do;" says Grey, as her writing began taking on a cathartic role in her life. Once she began to share her new music with others, she found that it was connecting with people on a more visceral level, that related to what so many are silently struggling with. Through her music, Taylor has found a renewed sense of motivation and wider understanding that she hadn't felt before and this connection with her fans has inspired her to continue being open and honest about her mental health journey.
Giving her audiences a sense of hope, to offer a light at the end of the tunnel that used to feel imperceivable has been a driving force in her advocacy, as it's something everyone must find in their own way. "What I have learned throughout this process is that there is no one way to recover. The mantra that kept me afloat through the rough patches was "you feel worse before you feel better," Taylor shares. She found her music was a source of salvation as she began to heal. Continuing to write and perform her music, Taylor has found that her songs now reach people in ways she never imagined; receiving numerous messages from fans who reached out to thank her for helping them feel seen and giving them the courage to seek help for their own mental health struggles.
Today, Taylor is an empowering example for young women and an advocate for the growing conversations on mental health, further creating meaningful connections with her fans through her artistic expressions. She's continuously reshaping her life's narratives and using her own experiences to amplify the voices of those who can't confidently speak to their own issues. Being patient with your process is the key to her success, but always in motion, as she reflects further, "Something I wish I knew as a young songwriter was that you don't need to immediately capitalize on your painful experiences and turn them into art. Sometimes allowing yourself time to heal results in even more meaningful art."
Twilight Hour is a mirror to some of her ups and downs and she unabashedly tells her own story her own way as you come upon each track. "As I've found my voice in how I want to share these moments with my fans, I've been able to layer in so much more of who I am into each song I write. I wrote "Idiot" about being gaslighted and told that I was too sensitive or crazy because I've struggled with my mental health. "Ever Knew Me," was born out of my deep social anxiety and inability to say goodbye to people, so much that I had hurt people I care about because I simply didn't have the skills at the time to deal with confrontation. Overall, Twilight Hour was so important in my growth as a person and as a writer because it was the first time I felt equipped to use past experiences for my music in a really reflective and truthful way and I felt strong enough to do that, which has not always been the case."
In an industry where vulnerability and authenticity can be hard to come by, Taylor Grey stands out as a powerful voice for mental health and self-care. With her raw and honest lyrics and dedication to using her platform to empower others, she proves that music can be a powerful tool for healing and self-discovery.