Cara Delevingne Reveals Sobriety and Mental Health Struggles as Inspiration for Debut Music

Model and actress Cara Delevingne has unveiled her first musical releases, citing her journey to sobriety and battles with mental health as the primary drivers behind her new sound. The 33-year-old, globally recognized for her modeling career and roles in high-profile projects such as Only Murders in the Building and Suicide Squad, has officially entered the music industry with the release of her debut singles, "I Forgot" and "Out of My Head," last Friday.

In an interview with BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, Delevingne explained that the second single, "Out of My Head," explores the theme of "everyone talking and no-one really listening or saying the truth." Discussing the track on the New Music Show, she noted that the song was born from her first year of sobriety, a period marked by "internal conflict and disassociation and all that fun stuff." She revealed that the chorus was specifically altered to "out of my head" because she feels the need to perform this mental shift daily to escape her tendency toward overthinking.

Her first single, "I Forgot," was crafted to reflect the often raw and difficult landscape of mental health. The London-born star stated she wanted to create a track that allowed her to "absolutely just lose it to." Delevingne, who has previously discussed her history with depression and her habit of "disassociating from emotion completely," explained that as an English person, she had historically struggled to handle anger. She described the song as the "healthiest way" she has found to release those pent-up emotions. Additionally, she has been open about her past addiction, crediting a 12-step treatment program for aiding her recovery.

Delevingne acknowledged that while she has previously relied on humor and self-deprecation, she felt compelled to approach her music with greater seriousness, aware that audiences might hold preconceived notions about her. "I wanted it to feel like me as a person was breaking through that," she said, adding, "I am a person, I'm flawed and I'm a human and we all have pain and suffering, but music can be the one connector of that."

The cinematic seven-minute video accompanying both tracks was directed by Jessica Lee Gagné, known for her work as a lead cinematographer on the psychological thriller series Severance. The video begins with Delevingne falling through the sky during "I Forgot," only for the scene to reveal itself as a film set populated by crew members and dancers. The narrative then shifts to her walking through a forest before transitioning to an office environment.

Delevingne shared that Gagné initially turned down the directorial role due to scheduling conflicts but agreed after hearing the music, which she "resonated with." "She is undeniably a visionary in so many different ways," Delevingne praised. Reflecting on her background in film, she noted that the music felt inherently cinematic to her, making the collaboration with Gagné a "dream come true."

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-02 11:28:45 UTC