Sounds of Saving is an initiative that pairs up with musicians and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to raise awareness not only of the their work, but also that plenty of people go through periods of dark moods and suicidal thoughts – nobody is alone in those feelings. They invite an artist to discuss their struggles with mental health, then ask them to cover a song that has helped them through it, in their “Song That Found Me At The Right Time” series.
They’ve previously worked with the likes of Sharon Van Etten, Black Belt Eagle Scout, and Jamie Lidell, among others. Their latest is with Cassandra Jenkins, who’s coming off the back of not only her excellent An Overview on Phenomenal Nature, but a tough period of isolation over the pandemic. For her song, she’s opted to cover “Faith Consuming Hope”, the elegiac closer of Eartheater’s recent album Phoenix: Flames Are Dew Upon My Skin.
On the song, Jenkins says: “Music has always been a primary way for me to connect my mind and body, before I was ever consciously thinking about how important that connection is for my mental health. At the most basic level, music is a conversation between those two aspects of our experience, and when I’m performing, that dialogue includes everyone around me. More and more, when it comes to my mental health, singing is one of the most powerful tools I have to engage my nervous system in a way that harnesses a sense of safety in my body, which in turn allows me to move through my emotions and the world more freely. And the more I can hold that space for myself, the more I’m inviting other people around me to do the same.”
Watch the video below to see her speak candidly about her mental health, then play a gorgeous piano cover of the song.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to connect with a trained counselor. The service is free, 24/7, confidential, and available across the United States.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support and crisis counseling to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The Lifeline is a national network of over 150 local crisis centers, uniting local resources with national standards and best practices. Funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by Vibrant Emotional Health, the Lifeline is a leader in suicide prevention and mental health crisis care. Since its inception in 2005, the Lifeline has engaged in innovative public messaging, development of best practices in mental health, creative partnerships, and more to improve crisis services and advance suicide prevention for all. Find out more at Suicidepreventionlifeline.org
