Mabel’s ‘High Expectations’ was inspired by her mental health issues.
The 23-year-old singer/songwriter has bared her soul on her debut album and admitted she still struggled with anxiety and confidence issues when making it.
She told The Sun newspaper: "I had to examine myself and put myself back together. Growing up I’d had lots of confidence issues.
"They were crippling. Even up to the point of making the album, I still had confidence issues and problems with anxiety.
"But making the album, I came out the other side. Now I am OK with all of it. I started to believe in myself and deal with my negative thoughts. I wrote a song called ‘OK (Anxiety Anthem’) which is the most important track on the record as it’s the one that made everything happen.
"I’d had a low day and was meant to be working with MNEK that day. I was embarrassed and felt like I’d failed so I started to write how I felt and that became the song. Now when I feel like that, I know how important it is to open up and talk."
And Mabel credits her parents, singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry and Massive Attack producer Cameron McVey, with helping her with her anxiety issues and encouraging her music career.
She said: "I was a real worrier when I was little. I had big questions from a very young age and I carried the weight of the world on my shoulders. I was always catastrophising things and my parents were so helpful.
"They encouraged me to express my thoughts, so I started a journal. When I started playing piano, I connected my journals and feelings with the chords and wrote songs. But I would never perform them until I was 18."
Mabel’s album inspired by anxiety battle
