SPRINGDALE — YouTube star Alex Boyé will be in Southern Utah Monday evening to deliver a message of hope.
Boyé will be holding a concert at the Tanner Amphitheater in Springdale at 6:30 p.m. as part of a national campaign for mental health awareness.
The family-friendly event will present a message of hope and understanding to young people and teens struggling with mental illness and who may be considering suicide, according to a press release issued by JJ Abernathy.
“This is more than entertainment — my music is ‘innertainment.’ It’s music that can change lives from the inside,” Boyé said in the press release. “Even if I can save just one life, then we have done something great.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is a leading cause of death in the U.S., with more than 45,000 lives lost in 2016 and nearly 1.4 million suicide attempts in 2017. Utah has the fifth highest suicide rate in the nation, with suicide reportedly the leading cause of death in youth ages 10-24.
“When we encourage conversations about mental health and suicide, that’s how you get people to open up,” Boyé said. “As soon as the conversation begins, that’s when the light comes in. Sometimes all it takes is music, and just one song can lead to a break through.”
In May, Boyé released two new originals, “Still Breathing” and “Bend Not Break,” from his album “Coming to Amerika.” Boyé said both are songs of encouragement and hope created to save lives, inspired by a personal experience:
‘Bend Not Break’ is a song that encourages people considering suicide to look beyond their current circumstances and make a different choice, to bend and not break, and ‘Still Breathing’ shares the thoughts of someone who has overcome a difficult time in their lives and survived.
An independent artist with over 1 billion views on his YouTube channel, Boyé is a multicultural, multigenerational, global artist. His Africanized pop covers have been featured on Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, Jimmy Kimmel and more.
“I feel really strongly about this topic after hearing Alex Boyé sing ‘Bend Not Break’ and ‘Still Breathing’ and I was blown away by his message,” event host David J. West said. “When he does this concert, his message of hope is more than inspiring.”
All profits from ticket sales will be donated to the Bend Not Break Foundation. Tickets may be purchased online. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. at the O.C. Tanner Amphitheater at the foot of Zion National Park in Springdale. For more information, go to Happysideup.org or call 435-772-3510.
Event details
- What: Alex Boyé concert.
- When: Monday, June 24, at 6:30 p.m.
- Where: O.C. Tanner Amphitheater, 144 Lion Boulevard, Springdale.
- Cost: Suggested donation of $20 for adults, $10 for students.
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