A single parent musician from the North West has spoken about how the Liverpool International Song Contest saved her life. The Liverpool based contest, now in its second year, has linked up with Nashville and is offering entrants access to free counselling and support in addition to finalists performing in Nashville.
Check out The Road To Nashville on the TUFF.EARTH WEBSITE
With the rise in issues related to mental health becoming more prevalent in global news headlines, The Liverpool International Song Contest: The Road To Nashville ensures that the creative community isn’t left behind.
Founded by The Unity of Faiths Foundation (TUFF) via a partnership between the mayors and city councils of the cities of Nashville, TN, and Liverpool, UK, The Road to Nashville provides complimentary access to mental health professionals for anyone that applies.
Check out The Road To Nashville on the TUFF.EARTH WEBSITE
The Liverpool International Song Contest’s mental health program had a particularly profound effect on EP from the North West of England. As a single parent, she found being a musician in the post Covid world and trying to feed her family particularly difficult.
She explained: “I am a single parent musician with the ongoing situation of survival in a post Covid world. When this offer was introduced, I was very intrigued about how this would work, but once I contacted the team and submitted my song, I had a wonderful person holding my hand through the process.”
She continued: “Mental health illness can creep up anytime. With all the pressure to keep up with bills and feed my family, my sanity was boiling over. But thanks to the free sessions, which are priceless, The Road to Nashville program saved my life and especially my daughter’s too.”
Check out The Road To Nashville on the TUFF.EARTH WEBSITE
Since launching in May, 21,411 artists have submitted nearly 22,421 songs representing talent from 35 countries. Of those who have submitted a song, over 3,345 musicians have opted-in for mental health services and counselling. Submissions closed Aug. 31, and the top 10 finalists will perform live before judges in Nashville at the Legendary EXIT/IN on John Lennon’s birthday Oct. 9, 2022.
Check out The Road To Nashville on the TUFF.EARTH WEBSITE
Dr. Shamender Talwar, Co-Founder of TUFF, said: “Mental illness is the new pandemic. When COVID-19 spread around the globe, we saw connection and community get erased from our lives overnight as we sheltered in place to curb transmission rates. When our day-to-day interactions were so drastically changed, we didn’t account for the long-term impacts of that shift.”
He continued: “Mental health practices and the equitable access to those therapies are imperative if we want to make a real swing back to kindness, safety and security. We are so grateful to be able to support these musicians and songwriters through the help of incredible partners. We cannot thank the artists enough that have stepped up to share their own stories and struggles.”
Check out The Road To Nashville on the TUFF.EARTH WEBSITE
Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson said: “It’s well-documented that the pandemic had a huge impact on people’s mental health, and it’s incredibly important we do as much as we can to tackle the surge in cases that are been reported. I’m proud that Liverpool is working with our sister city Nashville, TUFF and all The Road to Nashville partners in supporting musicians and songwriters across the world.”
Meanwhile, Nashville Mayor John Cooper said: “It’s an honor to have partnered with the mayor of Liverpool to highlight mental health awareness in the music industry. The Road to Nashville International Song Contest received more than 20,000 song submissions but even more importantly is that the mental health and music initiative had over 3,000 artists indicate that they wanted access to a mental health professional. I’m grateful Nashville and Liverpool are shining a light on this topic.”
Check out The Road To Nashville on the TUFF.EARTH WEBSITE
The TRTN-L song contest has reviewed submissions at roadtonashville.us. The top ten finalists will perform live before judges in Nashville at the legendary EXIT/IN on John Lennon’s birthday Oct. 9, 2022, and the winner will perform at the famed Liverpool Cavern Club.
Partners of the song contest include: Liverpool City Council; Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County; Visit Music City; Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum; Exit/In; BMI; SAE Institute; The Cavern Club Liverpool; Middle Tennessee State University; BBC; Country Music Association; Porter’s Call.
For more on The Liverpool International Song Contest: The Road To Nashville CLICK HERE
Check out The Road To Nashville on the TUFF.EARTH WEBSITE
