Julie Mango on the ‘Otherside’ of mental health with newest single
Published:Thursday | October 13, 2022 | 12:08 AMAaliyah Cunningham/Gleaner Writer
Social media personality, Juliet ‘Julie Mango’ Bodley, who is known for her hilarious skits that detail the Jamaican experience as well as her advocacy for mental health awareness, is now exploring another talent, having released her very first song. Titled Otherside, it tells the story of overcoming mental struggle.
Speaking with The Gleaner, Bodley revealed that although she has always wanted to do music, it was not always her main focus but when the opportunity came about, she jumped on it right away.
“Shaggy had put out an open verse challenge for his song Mi No Know for persons to respond and do a verse to the song. So, I did a verse and posted it on my Instagram. I wrote step inna the place wid a piece of fry plantain but mi haffi cover it up when everybody wanting. But I was doing it as fun and thing, and then a producer saw what I did and reached out to me and asked if I would really like to do a proper song,” she revealed.
Although this was her first time working on an official record, she expressed that it did not take her much time to write. After receiving the track at 9 p.m., she worked out the lyrics and melody by 6 o’clock the next morning. Nevertheless, Bodley was certainly a little nervous when it was time for it to be released.
“What if it sound like one lickle fool fool song? Or what if mi nuh sound like one real artiste?” were some of the questions she asked herself.
“But then I said, you know, I took the time and wrote the lyrics, I did the melody ... I vibed to it and really meditated on it. So, at this stage in my life, this is my first song ever so I know I put my all into it. So, once I know I put my all into it, I just put it out there and just wished for the best and it ended up well,” she confessed.
In her true form, Bodley utilised her single to continue her advocacy for mental health awareness as the lyrics of the tune detail her own hardships and how she was able to overcome. She hopes that it is able help others along the way.
“What it [ Otherside] means is that I moved from wanting to kill myself. I have moved from hearing voices telling me to cut myself and self-mutilation to the other side now of mental health where I am living and leading a healthy life. Not an easy life, definitely not. Not a life free of its challenges and problems but a life where my thoughts towards it is to see how best I can live and how best I can cope with regular stresses; to see how best I can overcome; to see how best I can grow to see how best I can be my authentic self regardless of any circumstance. I am on the other side of mental health now, the good side,” she said.
For her, the response so far has been exceptional with circulation on local radio stations and feedback from listeners who say they can resonate with the message.
According to her, it is important to use music as a tool to tackle mental health issues.
“Whenever you want someone to remember something, put it in a song. I remember when we were in high school studying the periodic table and no one could remember it we made a song and that’s how we remembered. If you want a message to resonate with any group of people, put it in song, because music has this thing about it where it causes your brain to just remember things. Any message you want to resonate with people if you put it in a song, it is way better than writing or putting it in any other form,” she explained.
Bodley is looking forward to putting out more spiritual, conscious and uplifting music next year.
As for her plans for the duration of 2022, she says the plan is to be guided by God and wishes the same for others.