Fourteen-year-old Eden Paige is more than wise beyond her years. The Canadian singer-songwriter is a passionate advocate for mental health, actively raising awareness around it, along with spreading hope and positivity. After a close friend confided in Eden of her inner turmoil and pain, Eden was so overwhelmed with emotion, she turned them into beautiful songs filled with compassion and encouragement. With her first single, “Save Me,” she offers empowerment and motivation to stand up to mental health and break down any barriers and challenges it brings.
The music video for “Save Me” features stories of various mental health issues teenagers face in high school, consisting of bullying, assault, peer pressure, and other trauma, that’s depicted physically and metaphorically, and all of these characters are suffering deeply within, when Eden comes along and lends a helping hand, singing for their recovery (Hip Video Promo). The deeply honest, poignant, and truth-telling video features a PSA at the end reminding viewers that there is help and that they are never alone.
Eden had an insightful conversation with us about her personal experiences with mental health and advocacy for it, the realistic storyline surrounding the video for her new single, “Save Me,” and the message she hopes to convey to listeners.
I Love that you use your voice to encourage others to be positive and kind. If you don’t mind, can you share your personal experiences that encouraged you to promote this aspect with your music?
Eden Paige: I personally know many teens that struggle with their mental health on some level. I have friends who have struggled with everything from mild anxiety, eating disorders, sexual identity, and self-harm. There was one specific experience though that moved me to want to help other teens through my music. A couple of years ago, a close friend came to me and expressed that she was feeling depressed. She was self-harming and was also experiencing bullying. Her parents were going through a divorce which was hard on her at the time. Hearing someone I loved sound so broken and hopeless broke my heart. Hearing her story and then also seeing others around me struggling, made me realize how big of an issue youth mental health really is. At first, when I heard my friend’s story, I was scared and overwhelmed. I coped with my emotions in the way I best knew how, through songwriting.
I love that you’re an advocate for mental health awareness. What about it specifically speaks so
deeply to you?
Eden: It has just always been a part of me to naturally want to help others. I feel like I am someone who people can trust and come to when they are needing someone to talk to. Many kids, even if they realize they have a problem, are too afraid to talk about it and they sometimes don’t know where to get help. Seeing people I care about struggling has always made me want to do something to help and I feel like I have the inner strength to do that. I think it is a part of my nature to be a problem solver and I like fixing things and making people feel better. When I was younger, I had mild anxiety issues that I was able to overcome, and I think that having that personal experience also made me empathize with others. I hope that I can be an advocate for teen mental health by helping teachers, parents and other teens better understand what some teens are going through. Growing up is hard enough and struggling with your mental health and bullying can make it even harder. I hope to be someone approachable that can help and be an inspiration to others. I am excited to be partnering with a local organization, Love My Mind, where I will have the opportunity to help spread awareness and accomplish some of these goals.
I love that your music video for “Save Me” features so many different faces of your peers. Was that your idea or a combination of yours and the director?
Eden: When thinking of the storyline for the video, I knew that I wanted several different stories intertwined. I wanted to represent teenagers who are struggling with a variety of issues. I wanted to portray the reality that sometimes people who are closest to them, don’t realize that anything is wrong. Mental health can be an invisible struggle for many individuals. I also knew by the end of the video that I wanted to show the main characters finding the courage within themselves to reach out. However, it was the director, Dylan Hryciuk, from Versa Films, that took this idea to an entirely new level. He created the characters and their stories and brought them to life. I think that most people that watch the video can see pieces of themselves or someone they know in at least one of the characters.
What message do you ultimately hope listeners and viewers take away from the video and song for “Save Me”?
Eden: I hope “Save Me” can start conversations and help people realize that things like anxiety, depression, self-harm, eating disorders, and other mental health issues are very real and are affecting many teens. Mental health touches everyone at some point, and I want to help struggling teens find the courage to take that first step of reaching out, whether to a friend, teacher, coach, counselor, or through a helpline. I want “Save Me” to provide a feeling of hope, educate, spread awareness, and let youth know that they have people that are by their side.
Fun Questions
What was your first introduction to music, and what drew you to pursue it?
Eden: I have been singing and performing for as long as I can remember! Some of my earliest memories were rounding up an audience with my friends and family and I would put on a performance for them. I have always loved doing it! I was introduced to musical theatre when I joined a dance and musical theatre studio younger. I have always loved how musicals tell a story and there’s a message embedded within the music. I think that is what has inspired me to create music with feeling and a storyline that captivates and connects with my audience. When I was nine, I was lucky enough to attend my first Broadway production in New York City, Wicked. I was awestruck by the talent and it sparked a passion within me that I haven’t been able to let go. After that trip, I started taking voice lessons and got my first guitar, and it just progressed from there. Songwriting was a natural fit because it combined everything I loved.
Who was your first concert, and who has been your favorite so far?
Eden: The first concert I attended was Katy Perry when I was nine years old. I received tickets for my birthday, and I couldn’t have been more excited to hear the singer belt out the song “Roar!” We had a private suite with some of my best friends and it was such a cool experience! As for my favourite concert, I would say it would be a tie between Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes. I was fascinated by how Sheeran is so incredibly talented and put on a one-man show, and I have always been a huge fan of Shawn Mendes. His opener, Alessia Cara, is also one of my favourite performers so that really put it over the top for me.
Which five albums and/or artists would you not want to live without?
Eden: I’m a pretty diverse listener, and interested in lots of different genres, but some albums and artists have had a greater influence on my music than others. From an early age, I have looked up to Taylor Swift and wanted to play guitar and be a singer/songwriter like her! She has probably been the most influential artist in my life. I also like “Surfaces” because they have such unique songs that are so easy to unwind to and just make you feel good! I got into Lewis Capaldi a few months ago, and he is one of my favourites as well. His voice carries so much emotion and his lyrics really draw me in. Shawn Mendes has tons of catchy tunes that I love to blast as loud as I can, and then I would also have to say Tate Mcrae. She is an idol of mine for accomplishing so much at a young age, but also creating such beautiful music.
What’s your long-term goal with music?
Eden: Music is one of my biggest passions, and no matter which career I choose to pursue, I know that I will keep music and the arts in my life. I hope to keep writing music, and I think that if I can inspire, educate, and empower others with my writing then that is also an especially important thing to me!
What are you currently listening to, watching and/or reading?
Eden: Lately, I have been really into pop-country music! That specific music genre is perfect for summer and often has a good balance of songs that are fun and easy on the ears. It also tells stories and really puts the little things into perspective. I feel this genre really suits my voice and is something that I enjoy singing! As for books, I’ve been reading “MENtal Health, It’s Time to Talk” by mental health activist and advocate, Allan Keller. The book is very educational, and I would highly recommend it to others. It features real stories about different men struggling with their mental health and I think it is so important to have open conversations about this topic from a young age.
Connect with Eden on Instagram.
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