Willard Wigan Quotes

I've been in therapy since I was five, but music goes way, way, way, way, way beyond therapy.

Part of my therapy is to write.

At least I can write.

My music started as a way to break through weaknesses - like anxiety, which was completely taking over my whole life, where I could barely function.

I'm pretty terrible at writing, so the way I kind of therapeutically get through things is by drawing.

My writing always came out of a very personal place, out of an attempt to stay sane.

I think poetry was always where I went to deal with my deepest feelings.

But I really love music, and having a creative outlet is really the best thing you can do for yourself.

I unfortunately had a lot of medical procedures throughout my life, so I decided to paint all of my surgeries as a way to heal and as a way to grow.

I used to assume no one would care, but I do think now I've written songs that are useful to people having dark hours.

I wanted to translate from one flat surface to another. In fact, my learning disabilities controlled a lot of things. I don't recognize faces, so I'm sure it's what drove me to portraits in the first place.

I became obsessed with making more and more tiny things. I think I was trying to find a way of compensating for my embarrassment at having learning difficulties: people had made me feel small so I wanted to show them how significant 'small' could be.

I started acting because it was essentially the way I needed to survive and equalize my inner life.

I'm not the sad sack that people might think I am. But I think that if I didn't write and perform, I probably would be.

I'm so thankful that I had music to turn to in the dark times and be able to understand myself through it.

We all battling different things. Me? I'm just able to channel that through my music.

At school I was a disaster academically but being involved in drama helped me to find another pathway into things.

I don't know what I would've done without it. I really struggled in school with reading and writing. Art was my refuge - my way of speaking, of dealing with my own issues and connecting with the world.

I just block out the demons. I sing. I block them away. I put my pain into my music. I paint. I make my own videos. I direct myself. No one directs me anymore. I am in charge of my destiny.

I started making art with art therapy. It's what I know how to do. I got a lot of criticism for that when I was in school. But I think it works for me.

If something's upsetting me, being able to go in and work on new music makes all the difference in the world.

Music became my way of processing things and a way to gain confidence.

I make music... and it helps me figure out life.

I don't really write for catharsis; I get that kind of work done in therapy.

Working on this album has been very emotional and super personal, and creating this character 'Cry Baby' helped me deal with my own insecurities.