will hyde, How Are You Doing, Really?
Between the launch of his new podcast Really Mental and the release of his new infectious summer single “malibu.”, Melbourne singer-songwriter-producer, will hyde is one of the hottest emerging artists from down under. Earlier this month, hyde and Australian model Harrison Kennedy joined forces to launch really mental – an original podcast that breaks down the universal issues young adults face coping with mental health, identity, and self-esteem. Through open and honest in-depth conversations, each episode features high profile Gen Z and young millennial guests – including Chelsea Cutler, Johnny Orlando, Lexi Brumback, Andrea Russett, and more who are living in the spotlight during the age of an ever-present social media – in an effort to highlight that no matter who you are, we all face similar experiences on the path to finding ourselves.
In light of Mental Health Awareness Month coming to a close, we wanted to speak with an artist that shines some light on the importance of mental health.
[UNPUBLISHED:] For starters Will, how are you doing, really?
[WILL HYDE:] I like what you did there! I am great, thanks. I actually feel the most purpose I have ever felt before. There is a lot to do each day and I am trying to maintain a healthy life balance with what I am working on. I am thriving though!
[UNPUBLISHED:] What do you think of the question “how are you?” Does it feel like a bit of a dead/dead-end question? It seems like people rarely give a candid response and instead, offer a more rehearsed answer.
[WILL HYDE:] I was literally thinking about this today. I was sitting at a Japanese restaurant eating a bento box when I started listening to a conversation at the register. I feel as though we get so used to answering that question with “good thanks” that it is more a sign of acknowledgment, rather than a trigger for a meaningful conversation. I believe that if you ask that question in the context of a very close friend, it carries more meaning and has a better conversation come out of it.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Is there a better question you can think of? Perhaps a better way of building the bridge to open up the floor to a deeper conversation?
[WILL HYDE:] Yes! I love that question. I would probably say, “how are you feeling, today?” It requires more thought because a feeling is quite a specific answer you have to give. At the end of the day, I believe that the best questions will receive the best answers when they are done in a setting where you can sit down & get someone’s full attention. As much as I want to ask someone, “what’s something you’re grateful for?” it depends on how open they are to get a good response from that. Today, we have our guards up a lot more to strangers and that will always affect what type of response you get. I would rather sit down with one person and have a very deep conversation than try to have surface-level conversations with many people, you know what I mean?
[UNPUBLISHED:] You’re not the first artist that we have spoken to that brought up the feeling of loneliness, especially in today’s realm where social media is so popular. How do you feel the millions of perfectly curated accounts play a role in people’s mental health? Any particular times you can remember where you experienced FOMO due to social media? If so, how did you remedy that feeling?
[WILL HYDE:] Definitely! I believe that social media simply acts as a trigger. When we go on there, we can be reminded of the things we should be, rather than who we are at this point. That’s okay, as a lot of forms of media do this to us, including advertisements for clothing. The problem is that we don’t have the right response/place to go to when we feel that way. It turns into a vicious cycle. If we knew how to handle our feelings and talk about them, we might be able to be happier for the people we see on the screen that are giving us a highlight reel. As an example, when I was sixteen to nineteen years old, I would spend a lot of time on social media. I would look at what other artists were doing, and what my “friends” were posting on their stories when they went out at night. I got into a dark place where I was battling depression because I always felt like what I had wasn’t enough. I always thought there was something else in life that would make me happy. That’s what social media does, it shows us where our lives could be better. My response to that was going to therapy, starting meditation, and starting my spiritual journey. I also limited my screen time and I stopped scrolling/looking at people’s stories. I still don’t look at anyone’s posts/stories - even my friends. I would rather text them & ask how they are doing than get that info through social media. That was my response to social media and it helped me a lot. Now, social media and I have a mutually beneficial relationship. I post on there and then I go watch a movie.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How do you feel the support systems that people grow up with shape them? Any particularly fond memories you have that have helped to shape you/your personality/your outlook on life?
[WILL HYDE:] A huge part of growing up is who you have around you. Some say you are the average of your five closest friends, as they tend to rub off on you. With that in mind, I always like to audit my circle of friends as it grows and as I meet new people. A fond memory I have is finding business/life mentors that are around 50-60 years of age. I have some very awesome humans who are older that I go to to ask questions about the music industry, business, and life. They have 40 extra years, so I figure that amongst them there must be some wisdom I can learn. So far, that has proven true. I’m a lot wiser and smarter for it. I owe that to them, as well as my curiosity for people!
[UNPUBLISHED:] Do you consider yourself to be more of a spontaneous person or a pre-meditated person? What attracts you more about one lifestyle vs. another?
[WILL HYDE:] Lately, I have been very pre-meditated in my planning, as I have more deadlines and meetings that I am doing each day for my music and my podcast/radio show, Really Mental. That being said, this industry means that I am always used to reacting to things coming up out of the blue. I started in the industry when I was 14, so I have had lots of practice to get used to it, which I’m thankful for. I would say I always operate with the motto “freedom within a framework.” I know my goals, and my intentions for the week, and I accept that the universe may have a different plan for me from day to day.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What is your favorite way to decompress at the end of the day?
[WILL HYDE:] I like to have fun. I do Qi Gong exercises as a way of separating my work from my rest time (it’s a type of energy exercise) & then I usually watch TV (my fav show at the moment is Ballers - I’m addicted) and I play a PlayStation game called Chivarly 2 with my brother.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What are ways you take care of your mental health?
[WILL HYDE:] First of all, at the start of each day I meditate and pray. Doing both of those things helps me center myself. I tend to journal, maybe once every couple of weeks, and I like to exercise by going to the gym. Lastly, I would say being in nature has been pretty healing for me recently. There’s something beautiful about being in nature. It’s more beautiful than human words can describe.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Do you have any comfort foods/comfort snacks?
[WILL HYDE:] Hmm. I love spaghetti bolognese, it always reminds me of my mum and eating her food as a kid. I also love gluten-free/dairy-free donuts.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Can you tell us a bit about Really Mental and the inspiration behind starting it?
[WILL HYDE:] Yes! Really Mental is a conversation series that I started with my best friend Harrison Kennedy (who is a model with IMG) where we get guests from the spotlight that have millions of followers to talk about mental health and identity. Our goal with it is to show people that no matter who you are and what you go through, you are not alone! We are a podcast that is available to stream on all platforms with episodes dropping every Tuesday at 12AM EST. We also have a radio show with Amazon that airs every Sunday at 7pm PT/10pm ET. After my dark times and some tough moments that Harry has had with friends, we decided more people our age (males especially) should be talking about these struggles. We all go through them, so why hide them? The response already has been very positive and I hope we can save some lives by doing it.
[UNPUBLISHED:] If you could have anyone on the podcast, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
[WILL HYDE:] There would be a few! Probably Shawn Mendes, Lebron James, and Selena Gomez. They are all faces of culture and by having them on, I’m sure we could make a real change. If you know anyone that knows them, please connect us haha! Imagine a young kid that is in high school, struggling, hearing a celebrity/idol of theirs like Lebron or Selena talk about the feelings that they are going through. That would be powerful! I know it would have helped me a lot back when I was 18.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Your team has mentioned that the podcast “breaks down the universal issues young adults face coping with mental health, identity, and self-esteem.” How do you feel going through the motions of becoming an adult (be it with working, networking, or developing deeper platonic and romantic relationships), shape your new single “malibu.?”
[WILL HYDE:] Growing up has in every way shaped my story as a human and songwriter. When I left school, it felt like the bubble wrap I had around me wasn’t there anymore. I had to figure out who I wanted to become and that took some missteps before I found my path. It’s those learnings that I use as the base for my songwriting/storytelling. I hope that I can inspire someone to be more comfortable with the journey they are on. I hope that we can provide more young people with a better roadmap for growing up!
[UNPUBLISHED:] What was the inspiration behind the song and what was your writing process?
[WILL HYDE:] ‘malibu.’ is about realizing that a relationship is going in circles. Sometimes it can feel like relationships are an obligation, whether that be with friends or romantically. It can sometimes feel like if someone has been in our life for 2 years, they have to stay there. This song challenges that. Moving on & growing takes time. Sometimes it means leaving behind a person that is only holding you back. I truly believe certain relationships are there to take us to a certain point, knowing when to move on is a matter of maturity!
[UNPUBLISHED:] What musicians have you been listening to recently?
[WILL HYDE:] I just found an artist called Josh Levi that I love! I like Phora, Tate McRae, Sarah Proctor, Chase Atlantic & Kehlani a lot right now! I love Kehlani’s new album. It feels so spiritual. Phora has incredible rhyming ability & so does an artist called Foster, who I love too.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Are there any artists that currently inspire you?
[WILL HYDE:] Definitely Phora, Kehlani & Josh Levi at the moment! I’m inspired by anyone who is always authentically themselves.
