Stormzy: Making new album was therapeutic

Stormzy says making his third studio album, 'This Is What I Mean', was like "having therapy", but was also "really stressful" at times.

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Stormzy says making his latest album was like 'having therapy'
Stormzy says making his latest album was like 'having therapy'

Stormzy says making his latest album was like "having therapy".

The 29-year-old rapper released his third studio album, 'This Is What I Mean', last week, and admitted it was the first time the creative process of making a record felt like a therapy session.

He said: "It felt very refreshing and it felt therapeutic.

"A lot of artists say that it felt like therapy but it’s never really felt like that for me. I don’t know why but when I’ve heard artists talk about that I’m like ‘Ah that’s interesting’.

"For me, it’s just always been something I do and something I love but it’s never felt like going in and having therapy.

"And I think this time, it did feel like that, it felt like I had to be really still and be really self-reflective."

But Stormzy also admitted making the album was "really stressful" at times.

During a stint as a guest co-host on Jo Whiley's BBC Radio 2 show, he added: "In hindsight, there were times when it was really stressful.

"So my memory of the camp, it was really beautiful, we went away, we made the album, but when I get into the intricate details of it there was a really stressful time and a time when everything was weighing quite heavy."

Last week, Stormzy asked people to listen to his new album with an "open heart".

In a letter to accompany the release, he wrote: “I feel like I overshare, which makes me feel naked at times.

“But I do it so that you guys can understand me a bit better and to give the art that I make some context.

"People been tryna to box me in for years but I hope this chapter at least makes my biggest critic say, 'Hey, he's s*** but he loves music and I guess he's gonna do whatever he likes.' Lol.

“I pray you listen to this album with an open heart and if you hate it after I promise to God I'm perfectly fine with that, I'm just grateful you listened with openness. (sic)"