Working in the music industry can testing. With label pressures, writer’s-block and social media, it can all seem like too much. With all these emotions boiling up it can reach a breaking point, as it did for Dennis Lloyd on his new single “Anxious”. Diving into his own experience with anxiety and stress, Lloyd pours out raw emotions over a folk-tinged production, detailing the very first time he had a panic attack.

“My head was spinning,” Lloyd candidly reveals. “… I felt like the world was collapsing around me but eventually it was all just in my head. It was a horrible time.”

Getting incredibly vulnerable on the track, the multi-platinum singer explores the universal struggles of depression and loneliness, and lets people know that they are not alone.

Lloyd also revealed that the track is the second single from his forthcoming debut album that is set for release later this year, and describes it as a snapshot of “darkest period in his life.” We caught up with Lloyd taking the new single, what we can expect from the album and how he navigated these dark times.

Check out the interview below…

Hi Dennis Lloyd – how have you been during this uncertain time? How has it impacted your music and creativity?
Right before it all started I was on tour in Europe after an intense year on the road. When I got back home I felt like I needed some time off in order to work on my music- and within a few weeks, the pandemic had started. Uncertain times and the fear from the unknown has made me be more present, which is great because I feel like most of the time I’m busy thinking about the future.

How did growing up in Tel Aviv influence you sonically? Who were your musical heroes?
Tel Aviv is a very liberal city full of multicultural elements. You can always hear music in the streets, whether it’s from restaurants and bars or a musician playing in the street. The mixture of sounds between the middle eastern vibe and pop music are very inspiring. I grew up listening to a lot of 90s rock and Israeli music. My idols are Kurt Cobain and Chris Cornell. Their music is the reason I wanted to become a musician.

How would you describe your genre?
I like to think of myself as “genreless.” I’m inspired by so many styles of music and try to incorporate all those influences into my own music which I feel doesn’t really fit into a single genre box.

Congratulations on our new track “Anxious” – what was it inspired by?
In 2017 I experienced my first panic attack. It was fucking scary- my mind was racing, my heart was pounding and my hands were sweaty. You basically feel like the world around you is falling apart, when it’s really all just in your head. My way of dealing with shit in my life is through music and that’s the point​ ​I wrote “Anxious”.

And the music video is really cinematic, what did you want to evoke with it?
The music video is supposed to imitate the feeling of a panic attack. One of the main difficulties in anxiety is the feeling of loneliness. You feel like nobody understands what you’re going through. I hope this song and music video help those out there who feel alone.

How was it opening up about mental health in your music – why is this important to you? Especially for representations of male mental health?
At first, it was difficult to open up about my anxiety because nobody wants to feel vulnerable. There’s a saying in the Talmud that “he who saves a life, saves the world
entire.” This is what I want to achieve if I can help those struggling and save even one person – I’ll feel fulfilled.

How does it feel releasing new music when most of the world is in lockdown/everything feels so uncertain – what do you hope your music will bring?
I am 95% sure that my album won’t eliminate COVID, but I’m hoping that my music will help people get through these difficult times and see there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

“Anxious” marks the second single from your debut album – what can you tell us about it so far?
This album is completely new territory for me. Not only ‘Anxious’ but the other topics I discuss on it, I’ve never shared about before. The sound is very diverse and I really think there’s something for everyone here.

What’s next for you? What are you looking forward to in 2021?
I’m excited to begin releasing new music and videos to the world. Everything is ready to go and I am very proud. I hope my fans are ready because they’re going to get a lot of new music this year!