Gregory Bowdry, AKA Stringz EMB, has been on the St. Louis scene and beyond since 2014, and is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and record producer. He’s toured across the US alongside artists such as ATG of Discrepancies, Bubba Sparxx, and Murphy Lee of the St. Lunatics. With an almost eccentric blend of crooning, pop, and deep lyrics, which get deep into the very marrow of his listeners, he leaves behind a feeling of energy and warmth. Latest single, ‘Lights On’, is from his debut EP, ‘Anchor’.
With his new track, Stringz shares his personal struggles with mental illness, and along with guitarist Will Buchanan, a freelance musician from South East England, and fellow St Louis artist Katarra Parson, harmonising with Stringz, adding a sweet soulful twist to the track, he wends his way through the trickiness of depression, and overcomes it with music.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so it’s no accident that Stringz EMB has chosen now to share the agony of his personal experience with depression, in the hope that others will recognise and accept their own struggles, and make the move forward towards healing. Stringz, Will, and Katarra all assure us, “it’s ok to not be okay.”
The music video shows Stringz getting through his day with a smile painted on his face, but it’s the depth of his eyes which reveal his true adversity. Seemingly innocuous tasks such as washing his face and opening the fridge fill him with stress and exhaustion, and he finds he’s unable to cut through the loneliness he feels deep inside, no matter how many people he’s surrounded by. Work, too, seems futile until he catches the eye of a fellow co-worker, who expresses empathy with his situation. The message of the song is clear: while the struggles you face might make you feel isolated, it’s important to remember that there are many people surrounding you, who are more than ready, willing, and able to give you support.
Watch ‘Lights On’ below and check out Stringz EMB’s official website for more information about this incredible artist and his music.
