Canadian rocker and Governor General of Canada Meritorious Service Medal recipient, Robb Nash has unveiled his new single, “This Is War”, where he is declaring war on mental illness.
“The names are from over 900 suicide notes I’ve received from kids,” Nash explains. “Some of them have my lyrics as tattoos, too; it’s a mutual relationship of ‘go forth and conquer.’”
Alongside The Robb Nash Project’s new song, “This Is War,” and the forthcoming album of the same name, the skin-inked gesture is part of Nash’s long-held commitment to combat mental illness — a high-stakes conflict he personally endured.
Found with no pulse following a head-on collision, Robb Nash was resuscitated on the side of the icy road near his home in Winnipeg, MB. His skull was rebuilt with Titanium, and his lengthy recovery sparked a severe depression.
“Frankly, I did not want to be alive,” he shares. “I was an athlete; my identity was lost, and that brought me to a very dark place for two-and-a-half years.
“Men in this society can feel like talking about our feelings or struggles is weak, so I kept it inside. One day, I picked up the guitar and started my entire journey into music to tell my story.”
While that journey included, at one point, a record deal on the table, it ultimately morphed into a motivational-meets-music tour telling his story, confronting stigmas, demonstrating purpose, and welcoming those most vulnerable to feel okay asking for help.
Now in its 11th year and counting, The Robb Nash Project has appeared before more than 500,000 people — mostly students across the country, as well as at maximum security prisons, and keynote speeches for the Psychiatric Association of Canada. He also works closely with Kids Help Phone, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and school counsellors to ensure students get the follow-up they need.
Check out the video for “This Is War” below, and stay up to date with Robb via his socials.