While always known as the lead singer for Creed, Scott Stapp is more than the rock band as he also nurtured a promising solo career as he released three studio albums. On March 15, the singer will once again showcase his talent with his new album Higher Power. His newest addition comes after years of hardships when the singer struggled with substance abuse and mental illness. Although spiraling downward, Stapp eventually found his way back and is ready to reintroduce himself to fans.
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Speaking with People, Stapp shared an update about his mental health, giving some good news. He said, “I’m hanging in there — just one hour at a time, one thing at a time. Taking little bites of the elephant and then just waking up again and doing it all over the next day. A lot going on, but all good stuff.” Some of that “good stuff” included a new album and reuniting with Creed for the first time in over a decade.
Although Stapp took time away from the spotlight to focus on himself, he insisted, “I feel compelled to create. It’s who I am. So if I’m not doing it with Creed, there’s a void. I have to do it. There’s stuff in me as an artist and as a creative that I have to get out. Music is my method of doing that.”
Scott Stapp Thankful For His Family
For fans of Creed, the band will reunite as they are scheduled to embark on a string of cruise festivals over the summer. But for now, Stapp is focused on his new album and songs like “Dancing in the Rain.” Detailing his inspiration behind the song, he said, “That song is really about trying to find happiness and peace and joy amidst the pain, amidst the discomfort, amidst the struggles. That song is really about where I’m wanting to get to, not where I’m at. It’s just that holding on to hope, even if you don’t feel it, knowing that it’s out there and just reaching for it. I’m trying to get there.”
[RELATED: Scott Stapp Teases New Creed Music: “I Think It’s Gonna be Beautiful, Man”]
Returning to some of the lowest points when it came to staying sober, Stapp discussed the struggle of simply reaching out for help. “It’s hard to pick up that phone and reach out and say, ‘Hey, I am struggling. I need somebody right now.’ That’s something that really, really hindered me when I first started trying to get sober in 2008. I would never pick up the phone. I was white-knuckling it and just for some reason, the phone was 10,000 pounds.”
While eventually finding peace, the singer praised the family around him and those who lifted him up along the way. “They’ve really demonstrated to me what a family is all about, and having each other’s back and sticking together. I’ve got to see what a real family is in action, and hopefully we’ll be able to carry that forward no matter how the story unfolds.”
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
