English recording artist James Blake hasn’t made his attitude toward mental health and wellbeing a secret over the years.
Whether it was his outburst at the term ‘Sadboy’ or some of the subtle & explicit motifs in his music, the artist has never shied away from the topic – while having not addressed it directly yet either.
That was until the end of last week when Blake released How Can I Complain?, an essay published through Penguin Books.
In it, Blake goes into his own history of mental illness and the social attitudes which pilfered his own experiences.
It’s a beautifully written piece, if not a touch raw at times. You can read it in full here.
The essay is taken from It’s Not OK to Feel Blue (And other lies), a book of essays from famous and inspirational people about their experiences of mental health. You can pick up a copy of the book here.