going through trauma. My message in the record as a whole is just survival tactics. It's about communicating and talking about the trauma. A lot of people are afraid that makes them look vulnerable and weak and I feel like it makes you stronger to talk about it.
MP: That's the other side of it. Making something so personal and deeply emotional is one thing, but releasing it for other people to ingest themselves has to be daunting.
CD: It was a bit of mentally shifting for sure. I have to credit Mark for understanding it from being an artist himself and a songwriter and producer in his career. And then with all of his business experience and seeing the way that he has adjusted to managing young creators, who are very on point with mental health. We've had a lot of conversations about what social media might be doing for not only his creators, but for the people consuming it as well. As we get older, I believe it's important for us to reflect on what legacy we want to leave.
MP: Your vocals have a Nick Cave vibe to them. Talk about the challenge of becoming a singer.
CD: There are lots of background vocals! (laughs) I was comfortable with the technical side and I've been fortunate to be around singers who have thousands of hours at the microphone, so I asked them for tips. Probably because I've been a producer, I was able to incorporate the tips pretty fast when I was at the mic. I did a lot of practicing and I was listening to people sing. I listened to a lot of Nick Cave before this record. I listened to a lot of Tom Waits and Waylon Jennings, who is a tremendous lyricist and songwriter. Those were the people who influenced this, so I thank you for the comparison!
MP: You mentioned earlier that you thought it was important to put this out to help other people. Are you happy with what you put down to achieve that goal?
CD: Yes. I heard from one person in an email about how they heard the song on a radio station. They took the time to write to my website and say that it had helped make them feel stronger in their life. That's what it's all about right there. It happened on the Monday after "Suicide Survivors Club" was released and it really made me emotional, even just talking about it right now. I could just tell he was in a dark place and it helped him. It made me feel good and that's what I hope I can do. If it can help on a large scale and it becomes popular, great, but that’s not the intent. I just want to help people and provide relief from the long, slow burn of suffering.