Joshua Bassett Recalls Some Of His Most Troubling Times In An Interview With Zach Sang

• Please be aware that this article contains sensitive content.

Prior to the interview he completed six days ago, Joshua Bassett last settled himself onto Zach Sang’s sofa on the 23rd of December 2021. He opened up to Zach about some of his most difficult life experiences and left a lasting impact on those who watched. Now, nearly three years later, he decided to be just as transparent as he was then.

His most recent Zach Sang interview saw him revisiting his issues with addiction, the highs and lows that inspired his debut album ‘The Golden Years,’ and his journey to Jesus. He also briefly touched upon his approach to hate online, which is especially important considering the fact that he was subject to hate several years ago following Olivia Rodrigo’s song “Driver’s License,” that was rumoured to be about him. 

Joshua began by talking about his music and how the last four years of his life (which he described as some of the best and the worst) have inspired his album’s concept and songs. He spoke about how “Mirror,” was written in one of his darkest times and how he wrote it to describe how he no longer felt recognizable when looking in the mirror. He did see the light in this though, as he told viewers that this was a reminder that they might not recognise themselves but this is often for the better as they can see how far they’ve come. 

He chose to relate his conversation about “Mirror,” to his own struggles with addiction, describing how he turned away from drug use and had a spiritual awakening after a drug-related experience convinced him to become a Christian. He openly expressed to Zach and his crew that he had once been completely against religion but, after a strange spiritual experience, he began to seek God’s guidance and heal. He even joked that the version of him who did the last interview would never believe that he could ever find comfort in the Christian faith as he now does. 

The saddest part about this section of the interview is that he admits that he feels that he would no longer be here today if he hadn't found religion and left his old life behind. He states that he was struggling so badly with depression, suicidal thoughts and addiction that he was spiraling out of control and in a dark place. It’s difficult to hear but it’s also great to know that he’s doing better. 

I’m also grateful to hear that he’s developed a healthier way of coping with haters online as he told Zach that he now recognises that their opinions are far less valuable in comparison to the opinions of friends and family who actually know him. This is why he doesn’t dwell on them as much anymore. Although, he did also share his concerns over statistics that show how increased social media use can contribute to higher suicide rates. This is an issue he felt needed to be addressed as one bad comment can stick with you, despite there being so many good ones you could focus on. The problem lies in the long-lasting effects of this and how you might not be able to filter out bad comments, no matter how hard you try. I wholeheartedly agree. 

That’s why, if you struggle with any of the issues mentioned in this article, I advise that you seek help online/visit your doctor for advice. There is no shame in finding help. You are valued and nobody deserves to struggle alone. You can also contact me on this website's contact section for confidential help and advice. Also, please note that I am not a healthcare professional, and for immediate help, it is best for you to contact helplines in your country.

The image above was taken by Nick Rewind and posted to Wiki Commons for redistribution under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. No changes were made to the material.