Yungblud wrote his new song, “breakdown,” while “being consumed” by an “unexplainable darkness.”
The “Fleabag” rocker said the somber song, which started as a poem, is a stepping stone to where his new music is “headed,” and vowed to “defeat” the “darkness.”
In a lengthy statement about the toughest year of his life, he explained, “I wrote this song because it's been the toughest year of my life mentally. I felt myself changing and my whole life I'd never felt like I was enough. On the one hand, that's what's driven me forward, but on the other hand, that's been the main thing that's eaten me up. For as long as I can remember, I've always been terrified that things would go dark in my mind in an instant.”
“It's always been so hard to deal with the darkness that I can't avoid. Many people would say it's temporary and will go away, but it doesn't. The reality is that I have to let the darkness exist and find strategies to deal with it as if it were permanent.”
“Many of us feel like our lives are insignificant. We feel purposeless and question what is the point of living. An inexplicable darkness in our minds eats away at us. We struggle to get out of bed in the morning, we have to cancel plans and miss opportunities at the last minute.”
In his confessional lyrics, Yungblud heartbreakingly admits that he wished he'd “die before I opened my eyes,” but now he's seeking the light.
He continued, “This song was written as a message to myself about trying to live with my insecurities and darkness by calming myself down and remembering what's true in life and that the world is so much bigger than me.”
“Up until now my art has been about highlighting pain and letting the world know it's there so I can empathize with others, but now I want to overcome it. This song is a gateway to where my new music is heading: embracing the light, noticing the beauty in the world, and fighting the darkness, instead of wallowing in it.”
As for what he wants people to take away from the lyrics, he concludes: “Get out of your head and notice the world around you, the things and people. Connect with them, they're probably feeling the same way. Don't get consumed by the bullshit in your head, you'll only waste your precious time and potential in life.”
“Remember what's real. Help people, be kind, help the world, help yourself. You may be alive for more than you think.”
Stream “breakdown” now on all major platforms.