Empathy For The Devil

Jimi Hendrix is widely regarded as the best guitarist of all time, not least by our very own Chula. With unparalleled technical mastery, showmanship and innovation, Hendrix seemed to be one with his instrument. Over the course of his upsettingly brief career, he redefined the musical landscape of his time, and cemented himself as a cultural legend of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Yet behind the my...

Today, the name “Sid Vicious” is practically synonymous with punk, nihilism and self-destruction. But before Sid, there was a young boy named Simon John Ritchie whose peripatetic childhood was marked by neglect, instability and drugs.  As bassist of the Sex Pistols, Sid’s rise to fame was driven not by musical talent but by his anarchic persona and darkly violent streak - “a living circus” as his...

Few artists embody the term “iconoclast” more than Sinead O’Connor. A voice of rebellion, she spoke truth to power and stood for what she believed in, regardless of personal and professional cost. As a survivor of unspeakable trauma herself, Sinead denounced child abuse in the catholic church on live television years before the world was ready to hear it. And though this infamous act saw her black...

“See to live is to suffer, but to survive well that’s to find meaning in the suffering”. This is what American rapper DMX tells us in his brutally honest autobiographical song “Slippin’”. It is difficult to overstate the trauma of DMX’s childhood - and the transformative power of the music he created out of it. Born Earl Simmons, his start in life was marked with abuse, poverty, ill health and aba...

Prince was perhaps one of the most accomplished, innovative and prolific artists of the last century. Through his seemingly limitless talent and electrifying performances, he transcended every genre and pushed every norm. With a catalogue of 40 studio albums, multiple film scores, not to mention a wealth of unreleased material, Prince’s musical legacy is staggering.  But his story is also one of i...

We are kicking off Empathy For The Devil Season 2 with perhaps our most requested artist - Amy Winehouse. A once-in-a-generation talent, Amy burst onto the scene in the mid-2000’s with an inimitable soulful voice and deeply emotive lyrics. She shone brightly then flamed out right in front of our eyes, receiving an appalling lack of empathy as she became consumed by her addictions.  Her story is a...

Empathy For The Devil is back for a new season, bringing you the stories of six iconic musicians who left us too soon and faced unforgiving judgement, blame and even derision both during their career and long after their passing. As three music industry veterans turned mental health professionals, Sam, Matt and Chula unpack these tragic tales with empathy and understanding, drawing on their unique...

During his short career, Lil Peep quickly became the voice of Gen Z. After pioneering the grunge-laden emo-rap genre that blew up on Soundcloud in the mid 2010s, he was selling out venues from the US to Russia – all without ever having released any music. He wore his emotions not just on his sleeve but on his face, and his powerful lyrics  told the story of a young man struggling with mental healt...

Episode Description: Dive deep into the life of Whitney Houston, exploring the woman behind 'The Voice' through a compassionate, modern mental health lens. From overnight sensation to troubled icon, we uncover the complex journey of a pop legend. Join host Chula Goonewardene and the team as they sensitively explore Whitney Houston's triumphs and tribulations. We examine her story with...

Karen Carpenter’s sound was decade-defining – the sound of the 70’s. The beat she created as drummer and lead singer of The Carpenters takes you back to that era in every track. With a voice that Burt Bacharach described as "clean, clear, like a flag flying over the song," Karen was a female icon in a male-dominated music world and quickly soared to the dizzying heights of fame, literall...

Kurt Cobain was one of the most powerful and influential musicians, songwriters and performers of his generation, who’s lasting legacy still permeates the sounds and attitudes of artists from all genres today. As the lead singer of Nirvana, he fronted their own brand of groundbreaking emotion-laden, guitar-heavy music into the mainstream, defining a new genre with a scream of such naked vulnerabil...

From the Wham Rap to Careless Whisper, Club Tropicana and Faith … Wham! and George Michael’s discographies represent some of the best pop music to come out of the 1980s, the 1990’s and beyond. George’s iconic look and sound influenced the world and won him fans in their millions. But behind the stylish, cool exterior was a man battling with inner struggles. The social constructs of the time, the d...

Brian Jones was a founding member of The Rolling Stones. Not only that, he originally brought the band together and was instrumental in forging their unique sound. But these days, he is probably remembered more for his erratic behaviour, drug use, and death than for his vision and talent.  In our first episode, Matt Thomas takes the lead to tell us Brian’s story with the sensitivity of a modern me...

Empathy for the Devil is Coming Soon!  Empathy For The Devil is a brand new podcast from Attune and Message Heard that discusses music and mental health by delving into the lives of artists and performers who, despite their unique talents, left us far too soon⁠⁠. Each episode is a journey into one iconic musician, using their life story as a lens to understand them as individuals beyond societal j...