Deryck Whibley has spoken about the emotional trauma he faced in the wake of his wife Ariana’s suicide attempt, a subject addressed frankly in the powerful video for Sum 41’s new single Catching Fire, originally featured on the band’s Order In Decline album, and newly reworked to feature alt. rapper nothing,nowhere.
Whibley has previously described the ballad as a “twisted love song”, and speaking about it now, he says, “Writing this song was cathartic for me in dealing with my emotions for the first time about almost losing my wife to suicide. When I first played it for her, it was the beginning of us having an open conversation about what she went through. In sharing her story, we are hoping to let others know they are not alone and that if you need help, there is no shame in saying so.”
The song is being re-promoted in order to raise awareness during Mental Health Awareness Month. Sum 41 fans across the world submitted the stories of loss seen in director John Asher’s powerful video, which aims to shine a light on suicide prevention and help tackle the stigma behind mental health head on.
"As someone who has had to deal with mental illness throughout my life, it was a no brainer when Deryck approached me to get on this song,” says nothing,nowhere. “I think it’s important to let those close to you know that you love them and that you are there for them unconditionally. I’m a lifelong sum 41 fan and I’m honoured to be a part of something like this."
Sum 41 will co-headline this year’s Slam Dunk festival, which is scheduled to take place in September.
