Southeast Asian artists unite to promote mental wellness through music
Having a safe space is important to one’s mental health. It’s where one can be true to self and express thoughts and feelings without being judged.
This was the theme of the cross-cultural collaboration of Filipino and Singaporean artists, who recently released their extended play (EP) titled My Safe Place that “seeks to promote mental well-being through music.”
The six-track EP featured local artists Trisha Denise and Lu.me, as well as Singapore’s KIRI, kotoji and Marian Carmel. The music project was co-produced by ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo, Star Pop label head Rox Santos and Singapore-based creative production house AOR Global.
In a recent virtual media conference, The STAR inquired about each artist’s personal safe place and how it helped them in dealing with mental health issues.
For indie singer KIRI, her safe haven is her own place. “It is the place (that) helps (me) see some things. It helps me to organize myself. It’s a physical projection of my mental state in some ways,” she said.
Another important safe place for her is in “the arms of my friends.” “Even my friends here, because you know, it’s my first time in the Philippines and it’s also my first time traveling without my family, so I’m really happy that all of them and also these girls show me what they have.”
The music opportunity that was given to her was “very new,” she added, and it can “get somewhat scary,” but at the same time, it is also a space where she can “share my emotions, my feelings and my thoughts.”
KIRI also maintains a notebook where she writes lyrics, poems and her thoughts.
She performed the track Get Well Soon in the EP. “I was excited to sing the song because it’s all the things I need. It’s like a reminder to yourself that things will get better.”
For kotoji, her safe place is songwriting. She expressed, “In my own personal life and in all other ways, I have to play various roles and when you take on the responsibility of certain roles, you’re not really able to express a lot of yourself. And for me, songwriting is the way to process emotions and process situations, and I just pour everything into it. So, you know, my craft is really my safe place.”
The multi-instrumentalist artist “writes a lot to the point where I’m kind of low key exposing myself sometimes.”
“I think that’s the beauty of songwriting. It really gives you a safe place to really channel everything that you can to your day-to-day life,” kotoji further said.
“But I think, you know, as people in general, in particular for people dealing with mental health or just in general mental wellness, curating a self place and a safe space is important because as much as yes, we can rely (on) other resources, yes, we can rely on friend(s) and family, (but) to some extent at some point, we (are) self-sufficient as well. And I think that comes in, in making that safe place whatever it means to the person.”
In the EP, kotoji wrote and sang Survive, “an ambient dream-pop track inspired by the experiences of her friends,” who were struggling. She felt that she needed to lift their spirits up, and so the song was born.
“My safe place is anywhere that I can express my boundaries, that I’m respected,” remarked Marian Carmel. “Basically, anywhere where I can feel comfortable as myself po. It can be in my room, library or anywhere with my friends and family basta alam ko po na I can be myself and that I can be accepted as myself.”
The singer-songwriter was born in the Philippines and raised in Singapore. Her ditty in the EP is called Wish That I Could Tell Me, “a letter to my 19-year-old self who just found out that she is suffering from panic disorder.”
On the other hand, LU.ME finds comfort in both her dog named Henry and in her music. She shared, “I love my dog so much. When I am with my dog, parang I’m just always happy. Kasi my dog is a French bulldog… So, it’s like every time I wake up, natatawa na lang ako sa face niya (laughs). So, whenever I cry, he comforts me as in hindi siya umaalis sa tabi ko.”
She added, “Malaking tulong sa akin yung music. Lalo na nung times na feeling ko mag-isa ako, andyan lagi yung music. Up until now, siyempre, every day I always sing.”
LU.ME and kotoji have been bandmates for more than 10 years. The soul-pop artist and kumu streamer LU.ME’s contribution to the EP is Surrender. She said, “Surrendering is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength.”
Singer-songwriter Trisha Denise got emotional when she answered the question.
“My family because I am an introvert and wala akong gaanong friends. But for the first time, I can say in this mediacon that I have friends. I wanna cry. I appreciate them for being there for me. And my safe place is here. I don’t have that much friends. So, I’m happy to have them and be part of this project,” said Trisha, who was also comforted by her newfound friends during the media conference.
She penned and crooned Cracks, which talks about embracing one’s imperfections.
Meanwhile, Manalo considered music and prayer as his safe places. “When I’m looking for a place where I can just escape and be alone, and just lie down on the floor, around my many collections. The CDs, the vinyl, all the music collection that I have ahhh I just feel good,” he said.
The hitmaker furthered that “prayer is my safe place because it gives me hope and it connects me to God.”
Santos, on the other hand, shared that music and his “faith to the Lord” are his safe places.
The five artists rendered a song number titled My Safe Place during the media conference. The single is “about finding a space that gives comfort and allows oneself to feel safe.”
(Stream the My Safe Place EP on various digital streaming platforms.)
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