May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to break down stigma, encourage open conversations, and remind everyone that help is available.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Chart-topping singer-songwriter Rachel Platten, best known for her anthem “Fight Song,” recently performed in Charlotte. On the tails of that performance, she shared her personal mental health journey and how music continues to be her lifeline with WCNC Charlotte.
Platten’s “Fight Song” became a global phenomenon ten years ago, inspiring millions. But behind the empowering lyrics was an artist facing her own battles.
She told WCNC Charlotte anchor Jane Monreal she had no idea the song would resonate with so many people.
“I could feel the power of it, but I wrote it for me,” Platten remembered. “I wrote it because I needed it.”
Platten has been candid about her struggles with anxiety, depression, and postpartum depression, experiences that deeply influenced her latest album, “I Am Rachel Platten.”
“I’ve been really public about my struggle with my mental health, my struggle with anxiety, depression and panic attacks,” Platten said. “And it was really cathartic and healing to create this music again from a place of like, what do I need, not what does the world want from the ‘Fight Song’ girl.”
“It’s not lost on me that I’m there promoting this power and belief in yourself and, and on the inside, I’m crumbling and can’t get through a day,” she said.
Taking off the mask and sharing her struggles became a turning point for Platten.
“A voice within me told me like, ‘You’re safe, you’re safe to take off the mask,'” Platten said. “And I’m so happy that I did, because as soon as I announced it, as soon as I let myself go there, I felt this echo of love and this, really, choir of voices of other women saying, ‘I’ve felt the same thing. I’m going through the same thing.'”
Platten explained her latest song, “Bad Thoughts,” was crafted as a tool for listeners facing their own mental health challenges.
“This tool, breath work, has really helped me — could I weave this into a song and give cues throughout so that the listener is kind of subconsciously downshifting their nervous system,” Platten said. “Seeing live, what happens in a show when thousands of people breathe together in and out collectively — I thought that the moments with ‘Fight Song’ were beautiful, but they’re nothing compared to this. It’s so incredibly powerful.”
Platten credited her recovery to a combination of support systems and self-care tools.
“There’s so many amazing people, my therapist, my whole team, my husband, my family, my babies,” she said. “They were amazing. But also medication, therapy, breath work, and then, songwriting and music.”
Licensed social worker at Novant and mental health expert Jaren Doby emphasized the impact of public figures like Platten sharing their stories.
“Your level of socioeconomic status or celebrity does not exempt you from being able to experience mental health related issues,” Doby said on Live Impact News on WCNC+. “We all are experiencing some kind of evolution within ourselves.”
Platten said she hopes her music continues to serve as a lifeline for those who need it.
“Maybe this music can be another tool to remind you that you’re not alone in what you’re experiencing,” Platten offered. “We’re all hurting right now. That’s real. But there is a way out, there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, resources are available. For immediate help, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
