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Grammy-nominated artist Marcus King on his guitar being his salvation during his mental health journey: “Music is all I really had”
Grammy-nominated musician Marcus King’s new album, “Mood Swings,” explores the darkest days of his mental health journey and the hope he’s found through therapy and music after overcoming depression, body image issues and abandonment.
King is a fourth-generation musician whose first memory growing up in Greenville, South Carolina, was opening his dad’s guitar case. For King, the guitar feels like an extension of himself.
“‘Cause it was my like original safety blanket, to escape everything,” he said. “Music is all I really had to provide any kind of peace and calm waters within this storm going on in my brain and in my heart.”
King said his mother left when he was young, triggering abandonment issues.
“We’ve got a better relationship now,” he said. “But that’s pretty difficult for a young boy.”
King then lost several family members and began to wrestle with his body image.
“My heart aches for him,” King said about his younger self. “His self-confidence was so diminished by so many people.”
By age 14, he started playing gigs. With his long hair and hippie outfits, King felt like a high school outcast. So he quit school his junior year.
“I got on the road as soon as I could,” King said. “I just, right away, got really into the hustle of it all.”
Getting started, King said he was using a pseudonym in his email to book himself and the band.
“I used a little smoke and mirror tactics,” he said.
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Now, the 28-year-old has built a reputation as a mesmerizing live performer, which he said is a result of throwing himself into his craft.
“I’ve always been deeply insecure, so I’m a little perfectionist when it comes to my art,” King said. “You can’t deny me if I’m the best at it.”
He released three acclaimed albums leading the Marcus King Band. In 2020, he earned a Grammy nomination with his solo debut, “El Dorado.”
But his demons caught up with him.
“I was just in a really rough spot. I had just gone through a really bad breakup, and I was just, I don’t know how to put this. It was just a series of benders, you know, followed by, you know, deep, deep depression,” he said. “I was hurting so bad that it was difficult to perform.”
King was near rock bottom when he met Briley Hussey at a gig. He said she helped to save him.
“What I saw was a woman who wasn’t gonna tolerate any nonsense,” King said. “She made me fight for it, fight for her.”
The two married last year, while King was working on his new album, “Mood Swings.” King worked with legendary producer Rick Rubin on the album.
Rubin urged King to make mental health a writing partner. King said that took him into the “basement of his soul.”
“There was a lot of acceptance and a lot of just reckoning with, you know, my guilt and the way that I behaved in past relationships,” he said. “I’m the problem. Call is coming from inside the house.”
King said for so long, he was afraid to talk about his mental health.
“I didn’t want people to get the wrong impression of me, I didn’t want people to say, ‘Wow, this guy is just a little nuts.'”
Now, King feels blessed and “absolved,” but he knows that his mental health is something he has to take day by day.
“I always say I’m in remission from depression because it comes back around,” he said.
But with meditation and medication, King said he’s able to keep it in check. Plus, he’ll always have his music.
“I mean it’s great therapy,” King said. “But real therapy in addition is always best. I found that out later.”
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Credit card debt can really take its toll this time of year. Not only is the average credit card holder already carrying nearly $8,000 in credit card debt, but during the holiday season, many of us are tempted to rack up the balances even further to manage that holiday gift list.
Throw in today’s soaring credit card interest rates (over 23% on the typical credit card), and paying down that debt can feel even more challenging than normal.
Is that credit card debt a problem you should try to tackle now, though? Or should you wait until the hustle and bustle of the holidays has slowed down? Here’s what experts have to say.
Start comparing your credit card debt relief options now.
When you shouldn’t wait until after the holidays to tackle your debt
If you think the holiday season is only going worsen your credit card debt problems — or tempt you to overspend — then starting to tackle your debt today is best, experts say.
“Debt elimination isn’t a two-week process, so starting before or after the holidays has no effect — unless you get yourself into more debt because of the holidays,” says Steve Charlton, principal at Wisdom Financial. “Then you have to pay more interest on Christmas gifts or vacations.”
You should also act now if you want to avoid racking up any more interest on your credit card debts.
“The major drawback of waiting is that interest accumulates daily,” says Curt Scott, president of Scott Financial Group. “This results in a higher loan balance when you do start tackling debt in January.”
Finally, if you just want to go into the new year a little bit ahead of the game — and with less of a mountain to climb — taking steps toward debt relief now can be wise.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today,” Charlton says.
Find out how to get rid of your credit card debt today.
When you should wait until after the holidays to tackle your debt
There are really only two benefits that come with waiting to tackle your high-rate debt. The first is less stress — both financial and mental.
“Waiting until after the holidays to tackle debt can help avoid further budgetary strain during an already expensive time of the year,” Scott says. “Waiting can also provide some emotional relief during a holiday season that can be stressful, helping focus on spending and enjoying time with family and friends.”
Waiting it out could also allow you to better “focus on your debts without distraction” in the new year, says Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com.
“It’s hard to deal with debt during the holidays,” Dvorkin says. “That’s like saying you’ll start your diet on Thanksgiving day. Most Americans deal with their weight and their debt in January. That’s when they step on the scale and get their credit card statements. In both cases, they’re horrified by how big the number is. That’s when they get serious.”
The bottom line
Whatever path you choose to take, it’s important to have a plan before diving in. Set a budget to help you pay down your balances, and talk to a financial professional or credit counselor if necessary. You can also contact a debt relief company or explore debt relief options like debt consolidation, debt forgiveness or a debt management program.
Most importantly, you’ll need to address the root of your debt problems.
“It is important to identify the early signs that you may have a debt problem and make immediate behavior changes to avoid debt excessive accumulation,” Scott says. “People tend to continue their habits unless they make a conscious effort to change.”