“You Can’t Just Fix Yourself in a Day”: Wyatt Flores Opens Up About His Mental Health Journey

“This is the only thing I’ve ever cared about and for some reason I can’t figure out, I don’t feel a thing.”

That was the opening to Wyatt Flores’ impromptu speech back in February 2024 where he publicly addressed his ongoing journey with his mental health. Supported by a wealth of fans and fellow industry professionals, Flores cancelled shows, came away from social media and put the time in to work on himself. Among the shows that got cancelled was his C2C Festival debut in the UK but, 12 months and a whole new album later, Flores landed in London ready to hit the O2 arena.

Speaking to Holler after his show, Flores opened up about feeling confident in his own skin, finding the balance in his work and continuing to hold space for mental health in the music industry.

A TikTok video of Flores playing ‘Please Don’t Go’ catapulted him to fame in 2023, which led to a high-profile run of shows supporting 49 Winchester, Charles Wesley Godwin - and, ultimately, a record deal and headline tour that same summer.

From here, Flores was geared up to release his second EP, Life Lessons, but, after learning that his grandpa had died, his momentum faltered. Having already experienced gut-wrenching pain that inspired ‘Please Don’t Go’, Flores tried to seek solace on the road.

Burying his grief in his music resulted in an all-encompassing numbness for the ‘Milwaukee’ singer. But, having experienced battles with his mental health from a young age, Flores was able to bravely and boldly share that it was time to take a break.

“I didn't get to come to C2C last year, just because I made the decision that I needed to go off the road for a little while, kind of disappear,” Flores shares with Holler.

In the absence of his C2C Festival set in March 2024, Wyatt Flores’ UK based fans were thrilled to see him billed on The Long Road Festival lineup later that year. Hitting the main stage in peak British weather – a poetic combination of sunshine and showers – the fervent crowds were more than enthralled by his set. “Y’all, I’m so nervous to be here,” he’d say before smashing out another one of his hits.

But leaving that stage was another moment for Wyatt Flores to acknowledge. “When I came back here the last time in August, that was actually the moment where I started going downhill again,” he candidly reflects. “I didn't really tell anyone until I got home. And I just kind of broke down and…lost it all. I was really struggling and this time, you know, started the healing process through everything. And I didn't realise how long that takes. You can't just fix yourself in a day.”

After sharing his story behind ‘Oh Susannah’ during the Bluebird Writers Round on Thursday 12th March, Flores had the entire crowd laser-locked onto him and his guitar – and reaching for their tissues. His vulnerability and candour normalise those emotions for so many people who are connecting with him through his songs. 

“I’m still not done working on myself,” he stresses, “However, this is the first time that I actually do feel comfortable in my own skin. I'm enjoying the balance and who I am and the identity of who I am, and I haven't really felt that since I've gotten into all this music stuff up until this point”. 

“That's a hard thing for me to say”, Flores continues, “Because I've enjoyed so many moments, but being able to say that I'm truly happy and just, kind of, at peace with myself is...is not something that I can usually say.”

Flores’ music carries the weight of his pain, whether it’s the melancholy of ‘Wish I Could Stay’ or the surrendering sadness of ‘Holes’, there remains an underlying message of struggle. 

“It's always been a part of my music because of ‘Please Don't Go’ and what that song is written about in my life, my story,” Flores muses about advocating for mental health. 

“But, you know, I chose to speak on it”, he underlines, “I could just play the song and keep on going, but I chose to open up that door. And, with doing so, you know, there are just a lot of things that come with it. We start hearing a lot of stories, and I started taking those stories and that pain and everything with me. So now I'm trying to learn the balance of just letting it lie where it lies and realising that I can't help it”.

“But I will go on and keep talking about it”, the Oklahoma native movingly concludes, “As long as people need to hear that message, then I'll be here to say it.”

If you ask anyone what they love about country music, they’re bound to reference the storytelling. Whether they’re a musician, writer, industry professional or simply a fan, they’re almost guaranteed to mention their connection to the stories in the songs. Wyatt Flores telling his truth, exploring his pain and baring his soul to the world in a bid to help others? Now that’s country music.

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