Musical icon and legend, Daniel Johns has shared a statement to Instagram explaining his lack of new music and offering support to other artists and creators.
“Dear Anyone,” he begins. “The world is in a very strange order at the moment. It’s very confronting and bemusing.”
“The reason I’ve not released music is not because of that,” explains Daniel Johns, whose last release was 2015 album Talk.
“Sometimes I need to feel like a human being and feel what other human beings feel without believing that I am important or creative.
“I am not. I need to create. There is no need for people to see, hear or appreciate it.
“I have been learning that the longer I’m away from people’s opinions the stronger I become. Art is not a way to receive validation.
“I believe it’s a way to feel connected to whatever this is and not a way to make people feel something for you. I’m not sure what I’m doing? I am sure how I want to do it though.”
He says he can’t provide guidance though, as he’s seeking it himself.
“This is no cry for help,” writes Johns. “This is a way to say to anyone who’s listen or reading it’s okay to be confused, disillusioned, saddened.
“It’s also okay to be inspired, optimistic and brave.”
“From the limited knowledge I have the only way to understand this distorted reality is to accept that we don’t know anything except that love is real, friendship is real and the ability to be open minded is vital.
“Be free to feel, free to heal, free to cry, laugh, be vulnerable, be sad, be furious etc.
“Just try to know that the world wants you to be good and true. This is a mantra I will try to tell myself as well,” says Daniel Johns.
“Sometimes it’s hard and sometimes it’s harder than we can’t even comprehend, sometimes it’s even easy.”
He tells us to be calm, accept anarchy and rebellion, and to run to the hills or ocean if we need.
Dusting off the statement, Daniel Johns says, “Also, we’re all going to die so try and have some fun x.”
