Jordan Harvey Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles And His New Record At C2C Festival 2024

Caledonian cowboy Jordan Harvey bought a taste of Scotland to the Holler Saloon Stage on the final day of C2C Festival 2024 on Sunday.

In a set that included covers of Johnny Cash and Bruce Springsteen, Harvey’s celtic lilt spun a thread that strung together his big name influences with his own hits, such as 'Alabama Girl', a sweet ode to his wife, and 'Along For The Ride'.

In a reflective and heartfelt interview with Absolute Radio’s Jennie Longdon, a recently married Harvey opened up about the mental health struggles that have inspired his upcoming record. “This new record is very much things I’ve never spoken about. Unfortunately, last year I went through a bunch of seizures, which wasn’t great…Living in America I’ve seen a lot of people, especially males, be a lot more open about their mental health. Coming back here [to the UK] I think we as a nation have to learn a lot more. I wrote this record to speak to those people having hard times”.

In a particularly emotive moment, he performed his poignant track ‘I’m Gonna Die Here’, which was inspired by a bereavement he suffered at 18 and warns against the grip of drink, cigarette smoke and the devil’s hands. “No one should ever lose anyone that young”, he told a hushed crowd. “I knew that if I didn’t leave Scotland and my own little hometown, there was a chance that I could be next”.

Closing out his set with a crowd singalong to The Proclaimers’ ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’, he showcased the passion that has enabled him to make the successful jump across the pond that has evaded so many others. “There’s no person in America that can sing this song better than me, because I’m Scottish,” he told a rallied crowd. “I’ll fight you to the death”.

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