Nothing More Campaign for Mental Illness Awareness in ‘Jenny’ Video + Upcoming Tour
Nothing More have risen through the ranks and garnered plenty of attention over the past year. Now they're using that platform to speak on the hardships of mental illness by turning a spotlight on it with their new single and video "Jenny" as well as their upcoming tour dates.
The band has teamed with such organizations as To Write Love on Her Arms, Bring Change 2 Mind, the International Bipolar Foundation, The Jed Foundation and Young Minds (UK) to help start the discussion on mental illness and hopefully help those suffering to seek out the help they need.
Nothing More penned the track "Jenny" about frontman Jonny Hawkins' sister, who deals with bipolar disorder. He tells Billboard, who premiered the "Jenny" video posted above, "The story of 'Jenny' is an ongoing struggle that my family and I are battling with. It continues to be one of the most confusing situations I've ever had to navigate in life. The topic is something that I think many of us can relate to, but not many of us talk about ... We all know a 'Jenny,' whether it is a family member or a friend. My sister is dealing with this day to day, and it's not only affecting her, but our entire family. It affects every minute of every day."
He goes on to add, "It also affects the taxpayer in all these different ways with how she's in and out of the system with hospitals and jails. It's very tricky and very strange when people have something wrong with their brain. When someone's in a wheelchair, everyone in the room will open the door for them and treat them differently. But if someone has something wrong with their brain, [other people] immediately just think they're an a--hole."
Being that the subject matter is so close, Hawkins decided to take on directing duties for the video, which is a powerful piece of visual work. The clip shows a woman dealing with the demons of her affliction and ends with some jarring statistics about mental illness and contact information for organizations that deal with specific mental health issues.
But the band is not stopping there, launching a PledgeMusic Campaign for their charity partners, opening an online forum for fans to share their stories of either personally dealing with mental illness or having a close friend or family member with a similar story. They urge those commenting on the matter to use the hashtag #iknowJenny. Plus, the band is making their next tour the "Jenny" Tour, where proceeds from VIP ticketing will be distributed amongst the band's charitable partners. Wilson and Red Sun Rising will play on select dates.
"One way or another mental health issues affect us all... As we bring this topic into the light of public discussion and apply ourselves to understanding, we will begin to build a world in which moments like the Germanwings plane crash become a thing of the past,” says Hawkins. “We see the tragedies that sometimes occur as a result of unchecked / untreated mental illness, but what we never see in the media is when tragedy is avoided by compassion offered to those in need and how those moments of understanding and assistance can drastically alter a person’s path. The purpose of #iknowJenny is about extending a hand and teaching people that they need not be afraid to ask for help. My hope is that this song and video can be used to inspire people to learn more about mental health and addiction issues, so that they can make a difference in someone’s life."
Check out Nothing More's "Jenny" tour dates below and look into VIP packages here. The band's PledgeMusic campaign can be found at this location, and the group's social media forum where fans can share their experiences can be found here. And check out the video below with Nothing More discussing more of their experiences concerning "Jenny."
Look for Nothing More finishing out the tour at the inaugural Loudwire Music Festival the weekend of June 26-28 just outside of Grand Junction, Colo., at the Jam Ranch. In fact, one of the items on the band's PledgeMusic campaign is a trip to see the band play the festival.
Nothing More Discuss "Jenny"
Nothing More "Jenny" Tour Dates
5/30 -- Kansas City, Mo. -- RockFest
5/31 -- Oklahoma City, Okla. -- The Diamond Ballroom
6/2 -- Des Moines, Iowa -- Wooly's
6/3 -- Minneapolis, Minn. -- Myth
6/6 -- Columbus, Ohio -- The A&R Bar
6/7 -- Buffalo, N.Y. -- The Waiting Room
6/9 -- Pittsburgh, Pa. -- Altar Bar
6/10 -- Virginia Beach, Va. -- Shakas Live
6/13 -- Biloxi, Miss. -- Cress Live
6/14 -- Lafayette, La. -- Nitetown
6/16 -- Corpus Christi, Texas -- House of Rock
6/17 -- Laredo, Texas -- Average Joe's
6/19 -- San Antonio, Texas -- The Aztex
6/22 -- Colorado Springs, Colo. -- Black Sheep
6/25 -- Edmonton, Alberta -- Tail Creek Festival
6/27 -- Grand Junction, Colo. -- Loudwire Music Festival