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Daily Mirror

Dermot Kennedy reveals insight into 'improving' mental health in candid admission

EXCLUSIVE: Singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy has shared a candid admission into dealing with his mental health and how he's dealt with years of 'relentless' touring Dermot Kennedy has revealed that while it's not a quick fix – his career is almost like therapy for him. Dermot, has spoken previously about his mental health and how running has benefited him both in and outside of work. But in a candid admission, the 33-year-old from Rathcoole, Ireland musician admits that he "takes for granted" having an outlet through music. Kennedy has been praised for his lyrics in the past, which have seen him receive critical acclaim. Although he's one of Ireland's biggest exports, he's remained true to his roots and has previously stated he's been "resistant" to the idea of being a celebrity. ‌ Opening up exclusively to the Mirror, he said: "I think the huge thing I take for granted is that I do have the outlet of music – no matter what the issue I have, if there's something weighing on me," before he added: "I'm not saying it's a quick fix but you can always improve it in some way by writing about it. ‌ "It's literally like therapy, so that's huge for me. It's definitely a journey through music in terms of being on tour relentlessly, in terms of what's demanded of you – different kinds of pressures you put on yourself, different pressures people put on you." He went on to explain that this can be "intense" but he manages to find balance. "I'm very conscious of the fact that I am so lucky to do what I love for a job," he said. Struggling to contain his joy, the Power Over Me singer said: "I dreamed of playing music for a job and so now that I get to do it, the overwhelming feeling is constantly a good one but you just have to keep an eye on yourself." Having started his career aged just 17 as a busker, Dermot traveled across Ireland and later the United States to perform. But it wasn't until his 2017 single, Moments Passed, when he started gaining recognition in the industry. Although he's one of Ireland's most successful artists, the star who maintains a relatively private life away from the spotlight admits his life hasn't changed too much. "The biggest lesson for me and I never wanted to seem negative because I'm so lucky," he said. Dermot added: "The career I have is the exact type of career I've dreamed about. The rooms I play in are very big but I don't necessarily feel like my life has changed drastically. ‌ "But I think the biggest lesson I've learnt is you've got to careful about how much of your self-worth you attach to achievements. It's a cliche, everybody in music has been through it to some degree, I think. You're like 'if I play that room, I'll feel really happy' and 'if I achieve this and reach that milestone, I'll feel really content' – it just doesn't happen that way, I think that feeling inevitably is something you have to go looking for yourself. "It's a journey you're on by yourself – it's got nothing to do with being in music or releasing music. I think no matter how big the achievement, you don't immediately have this sense of fulfilment but I think it can be a tiny bit jarring then when you do have those moments and you come away from it feeling, 'oh that was amazing' but it's not it. I think that's the biggest lesson I've learnt, that it's going to have to come from me as opposed to some external thing." Kennedy has previously opened up about following in the footsteps of the late great Sinead O'Connor and Hozier as a musician coming from Ireland, which he admits has been "important" to him – although he doesn't spend too much time thinking of. "I'm very proud to be an Irish artist but I'm just proud to be part of that musical heritage," before explaining that Irish musicians have "punched above" their weight in "every kind of art form". ‌ This year, Dermot is returning to Soccer Aid for the third time, playing on the World XI team. "It's a no brainer for me," he said before explaining: "No matter what I'm doing, it's one of the few things I'll literally carve time out for. It's loads of fun and it's for a great cause and an incredible amount of money is raised. It's a special thing to be a part of." Although Soccer Aid sees a bunch of famous faces come together to help UNICEF, Dermot admits its one of the rare opportunities for fellow musicians to come together and talk to one another. "It's a lovely opportunity for people to just come together," he said. Since it's launch in 2006, Soccer Aid has raised over £106 million for UNICEF, helping those around the world caught up in conflict or crisis, offering vital medical supplies, accommodation and education for children. ‌ The first year Dermot played, there was around £13 million raised, with the singer going into the match not knowing how much the game raises each year. "I've been lucky enough to do a few things in Ireland for charity and I know how tricky it can be to raise a substantial amount of money," he said, before adding that it was "impressive" that Soccer Aid can raise around £13 million and £15 million each year. "It's great that it's inclusive," he said of the cost of tickets which start at just £10 for a child and £20 for an adult. This year is extra special for Dermot, who's performing at the half-time show, following in the footsteps of the likes of Robbie Williams, The Struts and Tom Walker. ‌ "In terms of singing, I'm looking forward to it," he said, explaining: "I think being involved in the match means I won't have too much time to think about singing so I'll just have to go and do it, which is sweet. But it's surreal – I think a lot of youngsters in Ireland and the UK, you grow up wishing you'd get to do that, so to be in this position now and you get to play it is insane." But Dermot hasn't started compiling his set list yet but admits he'll choose tracks from his discography which "fits the moment best" and the songs which are most likely to "strike a chord with people at home." Most recently, the musician performed in Boston and Sydney as part of his MISNEACH Festival. While launching a festival can often be stressful, Dermot admits it was "brilliant". "Everybody who played throughout the day was on stage with me for the last song," he said. He added: "I just wanted to say thanks to everybody that was there but I also wanted to point out that there's just so much Irish talent that wasn't there. ‌ "There's just so many acts from Ireland that I'm proud of that are exciting that the world should know about. To be in a position where I can kind of put people on stage or give them a platform that they might not otherwise have means a lot to me." He went on to explain that this is one of the main reasons why artists should have a platform. "When you get to the point of having some degree of success, you're just trying to look for different levels of meaning – that one was quite a deep one for me, so I'm very proud of that." Although Soccer Aid is his main priority at the moment, Dermot revealed he's also working on his third studio album. "I've put a lot of work in on the next album," he teased before continuing: "I feel like I'm almost there and so depending on when I get done with that, we might play a few shows and stuff. But the rest of the year is beautifully open in a funny way. I toured non-stop for a very long time, it got to the point of it was like diminishing return. "I'm just conscious of not planning years of touring just for the sake of it. I think I'm at a point in my career where you get to do things a bit more deliberately and things in a more meaningful way. I'd love to play some shows but I'm not rushing in to it, but I'll definitely get through it at some point."