Interview w/ dreyuh

Each week dreyuh is going to writing for us about her journey through mental health in the industry that she’s booming in — the music industry.

Hey dreyuh, thanks for joining us and sharing your journey with us.

Can you tell us more about who you are, where you’re from and what you do?

Hey guys. I’m dreyuh, I’m a first-gen Canadian, born and raised in Toronto. I work in the music business.

Sounds awesome, let’s do a few rapid-fire questions with you:

Coffee or tea?

— Coffee

Hip-hop or RnB?

— That’s so damn hard. Both? Depends on mood really, or environment.

Late nights or early mornings?

— Late nights

Favourite social media platform?

— Tumblr, but probably cause I don’t use it to socialize haha

Current idol?

— I don’t really idolize anyone. Never have. But I look up to this version of myself in my head [that I built up] that I could probably say I strive to be at / look up to / “idolize” her. It’s like this fearless and courageous alter-ego I’ve been looking up to since I was about 8.

We love that! Okay, now we know a little more about you, let’s dive into your journey with mental health, why is this topic so important to you?

Depression doesn’t really go away, you just learn how to cope. For me, I think somewhere between 18–21 I made the choice to learn how to control my depression rather than letting it power over me — and don’t get me wrong, I’ve had days, weeks, months, where it definitely controlled my life, but all of that has [helped] shape me. The rock bottoms have taught me how to be self-aware — how to navigate through life and grow from situations. I found happiness, peace of mind, forgiveness, patience

I put in a lot of work to find them and even more work to maintain them. and I don’t have all those qualities all the time but I’m learning how to maintain balance.

For me, music is therapeutic — I found (and currently work to maintain) peace of mind with music. I associate my meditations, solitude, reset/recharge with music. I need music, it keeps me grounded. I have playlists for everything. I need music for anything that I’m about to do. I don’t mind silence but I just prefer music. It reminds me to breathe.

I think with [my] depression (self-sabotage, conscious vs. subconscious, voices in your head, battling with yourself) — it all goes into self-awareness and spending time with yourself, getting to know yourself, understanding what you can and cannot stand about you and facing that.

Really and truly facing your own shame/guilt/ emotion etc is the most rock-bottom experience you’ll ever get. I swear it’s worse than heartbreak. You gotta be able to face yourself every day because if you can’t face yourself and forgive yourself then you really shouldn’t even have other types of relationships. You can’t forgive yourself so how are you going to truly forgive someone else? In order to open space up for better energy, fresh thoughts, etc. we need to face our shit. Whatever “your shit” may be.

What areas are you going to be focusing on in your articles and why?

– The journey of mental health with artists x music business

– How to handle social anxiety: being an introvert/extrovert in the music [entertainment] business

– How to Relax — I’ve never been one to actually relax. I have this obsessive passion for music and the business that I genuinely always want to work, I enjoy working. Hustle is in my genes, all I’ve ever seen my parents do was work and provide.

– Finding/Maintaining grounding and establishing your values / creating + maintaining boundaries (in your life)

– Your boundaries and what keeps you grounded prior to any type of relationship in your life [s/o my therapist for this one]

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Advice changes as I grow. Certain advice may have helped me get through something then once I find myself back in that similar place I need a different piece of advice or motto to help me push through. But honestly its as simple as “Keep moving forward” and “do your best”. I feel like those two pieces of advice are timeless.

How is mental health a topic in the music industry?

Being an artist is the epitome of the journey to self-discovery. It’s a rollercoaster of mental health.

All artists have their own story, journey, something they cope with. People find themselves through music. Without pain, suffering, struggle, some of the music we know and love wouldn’t exist [in the same context].

– Music is also therapeutic — I found and maintain peace of mind with music. I associate my meditations, solitude, reset/recharge with music. I need music, it keeps me grounded. I have playlists for everything. I need music for anything that I’m about to do. I don’t mind silence but I just prefer music. It reminds me to breathe.

• Every artist you speak to uses music as an outlet.

What’s your advice to someone who is not in the best place mentally?

Find your outlet. Seek therapy and/or meditation. The journey is more important than the destination so find comfort in the uncomfortable.

Tune in weekly to hear from dreyuh herself and you can follow her here to keep up with her daily.