ALBUM ART BY @olivia.adenike.johnson

On +Vice, KTheChosen takes listeners on a personal mental health journey

KTheChosen’s latest album conceptualizes a common struggle. 

Set to drop on on Friday, October 22, +Vice examines the importance of checking in on our loved ones. 

The album itself takes aim at tackling something that is common in this day and age — mental health. 

“I feel the pandemic has had a different effect on us all, but two common things we’ve all experienced throughout the last year and a half are loss and the feeling of uncertainty,” said KTheChosen. 

“These are two significant events that affect our sense of security and our motivation.” 

The Calgary-based rapper said these are struggles that he has faced recently himself. He has lost family members who inspired him, all who happened to be women.  

KTheChosen said that the majority of the voices on the project are female for that reason. 

“Reflecting on their impact in my life was part of the reason why the majority of the voices are feminine,” he said. “And why the narrative follows a gender equity theme.” 

+Vice revolves around the passing of an unnamed female character and each song looks at different possible factors that may have led to her death. 

It’s something he says allows the listener to envision themselves as that person, as opposed to giving them a name and attributing a story to them. 

Each song takes on a different subject that impacts one’s mental health in different ways. They cover colonialism, grief, bad parenting, the pressure of societal expectations, and club culture.

“Each topic has an effect on how we perceive ourselves and how our ability to keep up with this perception affects our mental health,” said KTheChosen.

“I feel like talking about the topics would allow listeners to feel understood and inspire them to either check in on their friends, or open up to someone they care about.”

Listen to +Vice on all streaming platforms now.