As conversations continue to grow louder around the topic of mental health, artists such as Jacob Merrithew are using music as a creative outlet and their voice to bring awareness through their lyrics in a beautiful way. Through heartfelt songwriting and authenticity that resonates louder than the music itself, he has truly mastered that with his emotionally charged track, "988." A story taken from personal experiences, Merrithew opens the door to an important conversation surrounding mental health awareness while also using music as an outlet to discuss the honest truth regarding the struggles people go through behind closed doors, a topic that should continue to be talked about and allow people to have a voice when it comes to their mental battles without feeling alone or unwanted.
I had the opportunity to chat with Jacob regarding the process and meaning behind "988" when it comes to his own personal story behind the track. We also touched on how music has been an outlet for him in the most unexpected way and how that has evolved to what it is today. Here's what he had to say.
What early experiences shaped your desire to become an artist and when did music shift from passion to purpose in your life?
Jacob: Okay, so funny enough, when I started doing music, I made my first song on my YouTube channel, and it was actually because I lost a bet to a friend. And he said, "Okay, you have to make a song." And I'm like, "I don't know how to sing." So I just pulled up some beat that I just found and recorded over it and made a music video on my YouTube channel. This was about seven or eight years ago, and then it got really popular. It did really well compared to most of the videos on my channel, and I was like, "That was kind of fun. I don't necessarily feel like I'm good at it, but I want to try again." So it was in September of that year, which was in 2018, and I was like, "I want to try and do a Halloween song next month."
So I feel like, as a lot of artists do, I use inspiration from the things around me, the things that I've seen, and the things in my own life to just help inspire me to be better and to push the boundary even more.
Your music often feels very personal and emotionally honest. Was vulnerability always a natural part of your songwriting, or did that evolve over time?
Jacob: The vision—I didn't really have a vision those first few months when I was working on it. And now the vision has become more of, "How many people can this help? How many people need this message?" As opposed to more of before, when it was based on a numerical value, I feel like now it's based on an individual's value. I think I care a lot more about how it's received and how this kind of music is perceived by other people than the actual amount of people that listen to it. Because of course, the more people that listen, the more people that a message like "988" can touch and help impact. But that's not the goal. The goal is I'll do everything that I can to make stuff that's meaningful and to put it out there and to shift my vision to being more inclusive and to share my personal stories to help other people rather than facing it on a numerical value.
What does inspiration look like for you right now, and how is it shaping the stories you're choosing to tell?
Jacob: I feel like right now, and with what I've been working on lately, a lot of it's been inspired by struggles I've gone through, but also a lot of music and stories that I read and hear about from other people. For me, I feel like when I listen to something, I can tell if the person who made it put their heart into it. So there are a lot of songs out there that I really love because when you hear them, it's hard to explain, but you can just tell that they really put their all into it. Especially now that I'm in a better mental place than I had been in the past. I've been able to reminisce on old songs that I used to listen to when I was in those dark moments and enjoy them now. It's been a really cool feeling.
So I feel like, as a lot of artists do, I use inspiration from the things around me, the things that I've seen, and the things in my own life to just help inspire me to be better and to push the boundary even more.
Your song "988" has a deeply impactful title. Can you share what inspired you to write and share the song to the world?
Jacob: I wrote the song about three years ago. At the time I was in college; I've since then graduated, and I had felt like I had kind of made a turning point over the last few months leading up to the song. At that point, I had been really into a lot of the emotional storytelling kind of songs. So songs like the old Logic song, the 1-800 song, about the lifeline. A lot of NF, who was someone I was listening to a lot at that time, and more deeply personal tracks. I was listening to a lot of those one day, and I was actually crying because I'd felt so, I guess, blessed and grateful that I had finally made a turning point in my life and that I was finally at a point where I could feel like I was happy.
I wanted to make something that I can use as a resource but also share part of my story. I was listening to all kinds of beats and making all kinds of beats and found this one, which ended up being the one that I used. I heard the drums, piano, and violin and just thought it was beautiful. It set a really good emotional tone, so I just started writing to it. I think that was on a Saturday, I remember, because I didn't leave my room until that song was done. I spent eight hours straight writing that song, to the point where I was actually crying because it felt like a release for me to be writing this down. It also was because I felt that I had created something so personal and so special that it could actually one day help people.
I recorded it that same year and finished it towards the end of the year, and that was in 2023. And I was like, "You know what? I don't think I'm ever going to post this. That was really cool for me. I really liked recording it. It felt therapeutic for me. Now I have a place to go to if I feel down." And then I met my wife, and we got married last year in May. While we were dating, we met in 2024. Right after we got engaged, I showed her the song, and she started crying. She opened up to me about how she had almost attempted suicide and had been at such a low point. I had no idea, and she's like, "Wow, this is a powerful message. This really resonated with me. Thank you for sharing it." She's like, "You need to release this."
I decided I wanted to release it, but I wanted it to feel more like a movement than a song. So I actually sent it to probably 10 to 20 larger mental health organizations or health organizations who deal with a lot of people feeling this way. And I just sent this over and said, "Hey, I want to release this song. Can I get any feedback?" And a lot of them loved it. They're like, "Hey, I think this is powerful. I love the message that you're trying to share. If you want to share this, let me know when it's done and we'll help send it to people who may need it." And I'm like, okay, this is great. The momentum's already there. And so that's when I set it for right at the start of this year.
How emotionally demanding was the process of creating this track? How did you feel once it was finished?
Jacob: I had several interviews, and no one's asked me that. That is a great question. I think, again, it was very emotionally draining for me to write and record it, but in a good way. It was very hard, but as I was doing it, it felt like that weight was getting lifted off my shoulders. By the time it came to recording it, the hardest part for me was that this was more than just a song; it was a story, and I needed to get myself into the right mindset so that I could portray this story between a mom and a son and make it more meaningful. I had to get myself in that mindset. So I was listening to a lot of sad music, and then I got to a point where I was like, "You know what?" I was listening to it, and I was reading over the lyrics, and I was like, "Wow, I'm really feeling it."
I think I got it in two or three takes. But one of the interesting things is that I actually recorded the whole thing in one take because I wanted it to feel more authentic. That's why as I was recording it, there was pauses in my breath because I was actually crying as I was recording it because I wanted it to feel that emotional pull and I wanted it to feel different than other songs that are out there because yeah, it's not super fun pop vibe. It has emotion and it has meaning, which is why it sounds raw. So yeah, very emotional, but once I finished it, it just felt amazing. I don't think I'd ever felt more proud of myself for overcoming that, but also for just recognizing that I was able to create something that's going to help people.
Why was it important for you to address this topic through your music?
Jacob: Yeah, several things. One was that my parents are divorced, and when my dad got remarried a long time ago, his wife had five kids. So a couple years after they got married, their dad, so my dad's wife's ex-husband, committed suicide, and I saw the emotional turmoil and everything, how it affected all of them, and it was heartbreaking to watch, and it didn't affect me personally, but living around it and seeing it every day was awful. It really helped me put it into perspective, and of course, I had a lot of close encounters with it and people that I know as well. Unfortunately, the statistics aren't on our side as well. It's the number one leading cause of death for, I think, young adults up to 24 in the country. I just knew that it's more normalized now to talk about it, but just to keep pushing this boundary further and further to express that it's okay to not feel a hundred percent, there was no better time to do it. It needed to happen because, just from what I've seen from the story my wife told me, it was just something that needed to be said.
What impact and connection are you hoping "988" creates for your audience?
Jacob: Anytime someone can listen to it and take action is more than I could possibly ask for. You listen to music, you have fun, and you go about your day, but when you listen to something like "988" that has a lot of passion and meaning and emotion behind it, it's something that sticks with you. A lot of the comments, messages, and emails that I've received from people telling me how it's impacted them have been amazing. It makes me feel so grateful that I took such a big risk in releasing this song and sharing my story and sharing about how it's okay to not feel okay and that you're not alone. There are people out there who are there to help you if you're willing to open up about it.
The one thing I was really scared of when I released it was people looking at it as just another song because it's truly so much more than that. We've had some nice articles written about it as well. It helps people recognize that this is more than just a song. We are really saving lives. I was very intentional about making this song in a way that would impact people. I'm really happy that people are starting to feel more connected to it. I see people comforting each other in the comment sections or sharing their stories and finding light in other people's stories that they shared. It's really beautiful to see people opening up to each other that might not have been and finding help.
Based on what I've heard, I imagine there are so many other people who have been able to be impacted by that song. So ultimately the song leads as a direct pipeline to the hotline number, just like the Logic one in the past, but that's because he found help. The message here is that if you need the help, you can find it. It's just three numbers away.
What are you manifesting for yourself in the year ahead? This can be personal or career goals.
So personally, I think I moved three times in 2025, and so being here, being able to be here with my wife, and just finding my rhythm is going to be super impactful. So far this year with my career, I have just been able to just push new boundaries that I didn't think were possible. And something amazing happened the day before Valentine's Day. So, you're the first person I've told about this besides my wife. So I'm sure you've probably heard of LinkedIn.
A great networking platform. I was trying to figure out better ways that I can push this to get this song in front of the right people, to just get it out there on more platforms. I messaged this guy on there who is the head of a record label in Texas. I also messaged several people, but he was the only one that responded. I told him about my song and what I'm trying to do, so we set up a meeting, and he told me that he and his wife listened to the song. They thought it was really powerful and said that they would send it in to the Grammy submission this year in the summer. So there are only about 1,500 people in the US who have eligibility to be able to do that because you have to be a Recording Academy member.
But that was amazing, and if nothing comes out of it, having my name on the voting ballot before the official nominations will be incredible because it requires people to actually listen to it. Some of those high-up people being able to see my name and see the song can really just elevate this to whole new heights. It feels amazing to see recognition and things like that. But when I think about it, I think about the potential number of people that can be touched and lives that can be saved. When Logic released his song, he said something like, "The calls to the old hotline number went up over 200% over the next year." How amazing is that? Just from a message that is being shared. So that was my goal. I want to increase those numbers and increase people finding the resources that they need.
So at the end of the day, what does creating music mean to you and has it fulfilled you as an artist?
At the end of the day, I think it inspires me. It's a great outlet for me on days where I'm feeling down or feeling inadequate because it reminds me of something—a gift that I've been given to create music and share it with other people. So I feel like it's my duty to make sure that my message gets shared with the world, and it feels fulfilling to me. As an independent artist, it's really a challenge. I'm working a couple jobs right now. I mean, of course it'd be amazing to do this full-time, but just seeing the impact that it's had while I've been working with it on the side doing other things is amazing. I think it really helps me to recognize my own worth, which I have a hard time seeing sometimes. I've seen the people that have been affected by the messages and music that I've shared, and it's amazing.
Is there anything else that you would like to share before we finish off for today?
There are a couple of quick things. To anyone who's struggling, I want to make sure that they know, as deeply hurt as you are or as much as you may feel alone and may not have anyone to turn to, just know that there is always going to be an outlet for you somewhere. That may not be a person in the song, but that may be a hobby or a song or something like that. Just don't forget your value because everyone was created. We all have unique things to share in this world, and I want to help people remember that message of hope and to also say that I'm so grateful for everything that's come of this song. I have a lot of award finalist announcements and things like that that I'm super grateful for. I'm so thankful that people are seeing the worth and recognizing it as more than just a song because it connects with people and it creates movements like this to help inspire change. I know that together we can inspire change in our country and in the world.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or emotional distress, text or call 988 or use their chatline.
Jacob Merrithew: Instagram/YouTube/Spotify/Facebook
