CARLA TALBOT

A talented musician teamed up with his family to help create his latest single, which he hopes will raise vital cash for mental health charities.

Matt Eroteme collaborated with his sister, Collette Cowan, to create the track, titled Lean on You.

It touches on themes surrounding family, togetherness, and looking after each other through mental health struggles.

The 28 year old even got his mum, Carol Bryan, involved in bringing the hit to life, with the talented art teacher designing and painting the artwork for the single.

Matt, from Brookfield, began releasing his own songs as a solo artist earlier this year, with his debut track Five Hours Behind featuring on radio’s The Jim Gellatly Show and The Hit Mix.

His new song tells the story of a young man burdened by his mental health demons, struggling to cope and wrestling with suicidal thoughts.

It begins through his perspective and later through the experience of his family distraught through his passing from taking his own life.

All proceeds from the song will go directly to mental health charities, and there will also be a fundraising page for suicide prevention charity Samaritans.

Speaking about his new music, Matt said: “Lean On You tells the story of suicide from two perspectives within the same family and I feel, while this is heartbreaking, it is an important way to bring the two journeys closer together to aid suicide prevention.

“I wrote the song a number of years ago as suicide is something that is very close to home and, sadly, is something many people have been affected by.

“Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy and a stark reminder that we simply need to do more to help people struggling with mental health.

“Collaborating with my own family has meant so much as it is such a strong message I want to put out there to help.

“I want people to have a better and fuller understanding of suicide and make it a topic we can talk about freely and openly, without any taboos or stigma, because only then do we have a better chance of making a real difference and helping each other.”

Matt’s sister Colette added: “When my brother asked me to take part and contribute to his next single, to raise awareness for mental health, I couldn’t say no.

“Also, being able to work with your own family is something very special.

“For myself, singing is a passion of mine, so to be part of something that means so much to my brother and see his face light up watching his vision come to life means even more.

“Mental health is something that I think everybody in the last year has suffered from or become more aware of, and will at some point in their lives.

“As Matt had mentioned previously, this is his way of dealing with his mental health battles and is a form of therapy for him, which is so important to channel all that energy somewhere positive like this.

“I have seen the struggles that mental health can bring first hand.

“It is very difficult to see someone you love suffer in this way and you feel completely helpless.

“It’s scary and too sad to think that people get to a point where they feel the need to no longer exist to end their mental health pain.

“The more awareness for mental health charities available and their families the better, hence why this cause was so important to me to be involved in, especially as it is something we, as a family, have experienced and still go through now.”

All the latest info on Matt’s upcoming releases can be found on his Instagram and Facebook pages.