Fans have often shared that an artist’s song has saved their life, but a study has found that Logic’s 2017 hit “1-800-273-8255” truly did just that. The track’s title is the phone number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and was largely inspired by Logic’s personal experiences with anxiety. He also drew inspiration while touring and spending time with fans who told him that his music was the reason they were alive.
According to CNN, a new study suggests that following the release of the single, the Lifeline’s calls increased by 50 percent. “Celebrities but also noncelebrities can have an important role in suicide prevention if they communicate about how they have coped with crisis situations and suicidal ideation,” said study author Thomas Niederkrotenthaler.
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“To know that my music was actually affecting people’s lives, truly, that’s what inspired me to make the song,” Logic told CNN. “We did it from a really warm place in our hearts to try to help people. And the fact that it actually did, that blows my mind.”
The study also reportedly states that there was a “5.5% reduction in suicides among 10- to 19-year-olds during three time periods: the first 34 days after the song’s release, Logic’s performance at the 2017 MTV awards and an additional widely promoted performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards.”
Logic added, “I’m not going to pretend to be somebody I’m not,” saying that his audience “[resonates] with that. They’re like, ‘Oh, this guy is like me.’ And so I think openly discussing depression and anxiety and the darker side of life … you just talk about life, people appreciate that and can relate to it. I think honesty is everything, and I think people in general can kind of smell a phony, right?”
[via]