Jeremy Zucker

22-year-old Colorado College student and indie singer Jeremy Zucker has been turning heads recently with the release of his song and music video “all the kids are depressed.” Hoping to normalize the conversation surrounding mental health, Zucker asked his fan base to share with him stories regarding their personal struggles with mental illness and how it has affected them. After receiving hundreds of responses, Zucker chose six stories to highlight in his music video, with the seventh story being his own. The majority of the music video is composed of the chosen fans going through their daily life, as yellow text tells the story of each person’s mental health journey. As someone who struggles with mental well-being, Zucker wanted to use his platform as a songwriter to reach out to those who are also struggling and show them that they are not alone. The video is relatable and offers comfort to viewers by allowing them to step into the shoes of those who have had a similar battle with depression. 

The song itself, composed with minimal instruments, emphasizes the story Zucker wants to tell with his music. Through his lyrics, he addresses the attempts of society to stifle the voices of those who are struggling and the conversations that revolve around mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. When asked why he wrote this song, Zucker explained that “a lot of people refuse to legitimize depression in real life and on social media. The reality is that everyone has some sort of relationship with depression and that no two people experience it in the same way. I really think that kids these days are the first generation to address mental illness in a constructive manner. Listen to the kids, bro.” 

Jeremy Zucker encourages other artists and the young adults of this generation to continue to destigmatize conversations about mental health. When explaining his lyrics on Genius, Zucker explains how “this stigma over mental health needs to stop and more people need to be made aware of what it does to a person’s life. I embrace the fact that I have anxiety and that is a part of who I am. For this I am eternally grateful because I am not perceived as normal. I mean, who wants to be normal? That must be a boring life…” Through his honest and heartfelt music, Zucker reminds us that the most vulnerable parts of ourselves are often the most beautiful.