(June 14, 2022) “Okay,” the new song by Macklyn and Desmond Parson, puts what we now know about mental and emotional wellness to a neo-soul musical arrangement. The mid-tempo number finds the duo using the song to promote a message of concern, intervention, listening, empathy and transparency.
In that way, “Okay” echoes the new consensus about how relatives, friends and co-workers can be proactive when they believe that someone close to them is experiencing a mental health crisis. That new consensus is currently expressed through commercials and public service announcements urging those having a mental health issue not to be ashamed to ask for help, and encouraging loved ones to intervene if they have concerns and to be empathetic and nonjudgmental listeners.
(June 14, 2022) “Okay,” the new song by Macklyn and Desmond Parson, puts what we now know about mental and emotional wellness to a neo-soul musical arrangement. The mid-tempo number finds the duo using the song to promote a message of concern, intervention, listening, empathy and transparency.
In that way, “Okay” echoes the new consensus about how relatives, friends and co-workers can be proactive when they believe that someone close to them is experiencing a mental health crisis. That new consensus is currently expressed through commercials and public service announcements urging those having a mental health issue not to be ashamed to ask for help, and encouraging loved ones to intervene if they have concerns and to be empathetic and nonjudgmental listeners.
Macklyn and Parson express those sentiments in “Okay,” which is an upbeat, midtempo tune. The arrangement and the conversational tone both artists take allow the song’s serious theme to go down easy. Both artists want listeners to understand how the old way of addressing mental health issues -- that often called for people who to put on a brave front while they suffered in silence -- was inadequate. Says Macklyn:
“I've been a victim of, and have also been the person to tell others, when they are dealing with issues, to ‘get past it’ or asking them, ‘when are you going to get over it?’ In this song, we want to remind and encourage those struggling to know that we all are in different spaces with life, that it's okay to struggle, and to take their time to heal and grow.”
Both note that the song’s theme is one that Black men, who are often raised downplay mental health and treat depression or anxiety as a sign of weakness, need to hear. But the tune’s theme is also important for Black women who often ignore their emotional and mental health needs to address the concerns of others. Check out “Okay” here.
By Howard Dukes
Macklyn and Desmond Parson
"Okay"