Clairo has recalled writing the track ‘Just For Today’ and how it helped her deal with her mental health struggles during quarantine.

Speaking to NME for this week’s Big Read interview, the singer-songwriter (real name Claire Cottrill) discussed her struggles with depression and anxiety and how working on music helped her through the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this year, Clairo took to Instagram to share a home recording of ‘Just For Today’, which a finished version of can now be heard in her new album, ‘Sling’. The song hears her sing about a night when she joined the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s online chat during a panic attack. In the caption for the video, Clairo said she felt there was “no real reason I should hold onto it”.

Speaking on it today, she told NME: “It felt weird to hold onto something so personal and wait for my record. The response was really beautiful and nothing that I ever expected.”

Clairo was praised by listeners for sharing the song. They thanked her for “normalising mental health struggles” and shared how her honest songwriting gave them renewed strength.

“Quarantine was just really strange and terrible for [people with] mental health issues – no one really knew what to do and I think that made it even worse,” Clairo continued. “Writing that song helped me and I’m glad that people enjoyed it because I don’t think it would have ended up on the record unless people asked for it.”

Admitting that she still struggles with depression and anxiety, the musician said she is making progress on her path to healing.

“When I was diagnosed I was like, ‘What now?’ I didn’t have any motivation to actually seek out experiences or the right kind of environment for myself to feel happier,” she said, before adding that a combination of finding that force and knowing herself better are helping her “create a happier experience in a neutral space”.

Meanwhile, Clairo has revealed that she initially turned down the opportunity to work with Jack Antonoff – who co-produced ‘Sling’ – as she wasn’t “mentally prepared” to make an album with him.

For help and advice on mental health:

• ‘Am I depressed?‘ – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
• Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
• Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
• YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
• CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably for young men
• Time To Change – Let’s end mental health discrimination
• The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day