Why I'm Not Okay

As a songwriter, I’ve always made it my goal to tell stories I don’t hear being told as often in music. I want every song I put out to feel like its own character. All with their own narrative, their own arc, and their own sound. And maybe it’s my ~ theatrical background ~ but I find it extremely rewarding when songs end up in totally different places than where they start.

That being said, "Why I'm Not Okay" is a real montage of emotions hahaha. It’s about the struggles I experienced growing up with not-so-perfect parents and how much my childhood still weighs on me to this day. I really wanted it to feel like a classic “breakup anthem” but towards a parental figure, and the push and pull of resenting them yet loving them at the same time. The feeling when you finally start letting go of the constant need for their approval, but also silently hoping that they’re still proud of you. The incredible family you end up choosing for yourself but also wishing that it could’ve just been your own.

I worked really hard on this song for years to get it just right, and I really hope you enjoy it.