We sat down with Caroline Romano to discuss her latest single "Panic Attack" and the powerful message about mental health that's behind it.
What was your creative process for "Panic Attack" and how do you deal with sharing such painful emotions?
I wrote “Panic Attack” after having the worst panic attack, and mental health experience as a whole, in my life. I was sitting in my favorite park, and I’d just gotten off the phone with my mom, telling her I didn’t know how to keep going. It was an intense moment, and the only thing I knew to do was write it down. It’s often the way I find perspective, is to see all the feelings on paper. I can’t make sense of them, but I pray things will get better and I see if a song can tell me anything new. As an artist, I think my one and only job is to share what I’m feeling. I can’t, and I don’t want to be selective about the moments and emotions I choose to write about. None of my favorite songs by my favorite artists would be written if they hadn’t chosen to write about those intensely and tragically low moments. I hope that these types of songs, like “Panic Attack” can give even one person a sense of feeling understood and less alone.
What is your best advice to young people dealing with panic attacks and other mental health struggles?
I can’t say I’ve learned to handle my own struggles with mental health to the fullest extent, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to talk to someone about them. It doesn’t matter who it is, it just can’t stay bottled up. Overall, I’d say my biggest piece of advice would be to know that what you’re feeling in one moment will not be how you feel forever. It’s so hard to pull yourself out of that mindset when things get bad, but you have to remember that now is not forever. I take medication to help deal with my depression, and it’s something I try to be open about. Things work differently for everyone, and it will take some time to figure out what works best for you.
You announced your debut album will be releasing 2/25, what can we expect to hear about on this album?
The album’s name is Oddities and Prodigies, and it’s a story of youth, and being your own worst enemy. It’s about making plans and falling apart. It’s everything I’ve ever felt.
How did you adjust to making a slower, more intimate song in comparison to your other music?
I do write a lot of fast-paced, heavier music, but I typically gravitate towards writing slow songs in day to day life. I find it harder to write upbeat songs actually. Slow songs are all about the words, it’s all about the moment. This song was written, quite literally in a moment of time that seemed to have its own music. I heard this song as I wrote the words on paper. I like to write songs that way, in letting the words tell me what they want to sound like.
What are you most looking forward to for yourself as a music artist in 2022?
I’m excited to play shows this year. I’ve missed live audiences, and performing is honestly one of my favorite things to do. I love seeing people react to music in real time. I think it’s the best way to hear a song. I’m also excited to be releasing my first album. It’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid, and it’s here. I’m scared to death, but I also can’t wait.
You can follow Caroline Romano on Instagram and Listen to "Panic Attack" on all streaming platforms now.