PREMIERE: Aaron Ward wants you to know it's okay to open up with "I Don't Mind"

There isn’t a person alive that hasn’t gone through a hard time in their life. Everyone encounters different experiences, but pain is just part of the human experience. Sometimes things seem to hit us all at once and the weight just feels too heavy to bear. When life seems to be coming at us hard, it’s easy to withdraw from the people we’re close to. Opening up, after all, is scary; what if our friends and family think differently of us because of what we’re going through? What if they don’t don’t really care about us, or what if they don’t listen?

But here’s the funny thing about opening up: it feels pretty damn good once you do it. Your true friends will be there you no matter what, and they want you to open up because they care about you and they want to be there for you. They can only do that, of course, if you let them in.

Today, we’re premiering “I Don’t Mind”, the debut solo single from English multi-instrumentalist Aaron Ward (who was previously the guitarist / vocalist in the band Maven Fiction). Written for a friend whose marriage was falling apart, the track mixes the delicate storytelling of Vance Joy or Bon Iver with the warm electronics of Lauv.

Speaking on “I Don’t Mind”, Ward tells Substream, “This track’s about the importance of encouraging friends to talk when they’re dealing with difficult times or mental health issues. It’s kinda heavy but with a cheeky little bit of synth here and there.” If you’re going through a difficult time of your own right now, perhaps take this as a reminder that it’s okay to talk.PREMIERE: Aaron Ward wants you to know it’s okay to open up with “I Don’t Mind”