A Star Is Born, Lady Gagas Grammy and Mental Health by Eleanor

 

(image: Google/ Lady Gaga)

Last year, a remake of the film A Star is Born was released; starring Lady Gaga as aspiring singer Ally who falls in love with veteran rock musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper). I won’t ruin the film but it explores Jacksons drug and alcohol addiction and depression / suicidal thoughts- which is often prevalent in the music industry. Its also a love story- with Ally trying to save Jackson from himself and failing, despite him going to rehab, his depression and feelings of inadequacy take over.

It is a film so beautifully acted with such stunning music, that it won a Grammy this week for the original song Shallow (I believe written by Gaga and sung with Bradley Cooper). In Lady Gagas acceptance speech yesterday, she said that she was happy the film highlighted mental health issues and that it effects many artists out there in the industry and beyond. She asked us to reach out to people who are hurting and for those who have mental illness to also reach for support as so many struggle. An incredible thing to do on such a platform- thank you Gaga.

I saw the film twice at the cinema and both times it moved me so much I cried my eyes out- it touched my heart. He wont mind me mentioning, but my Dad, like myself has bipolar disorder and has had very severe depression in the past. I am grateful that he recovered and is still here to tell the tale- and me too. In 2013, I had a depression where I too wanted to give up on life. But i found a treatment to help me and I recovered with good medicine, therapy and support.

So this is a thank you to Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper and all who made  A Star is Born for challenging the stigma around mental health and using art to be a beacon of hope in a difficult world. The Grammy is so well deserved!

(image: E News/ Grammys. Lady Gaga accepting her Grammy for Shallow)

‘Im off the deep end

Watch as I dive in

Ill never meet the ground.

Crash through the surface

Where they can’t hurt us

We’re far from the shallow now’

Shallow- Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper