The raw, acoustic sound emerging from the Red Dirt music industry is taking the world by storm with artists such as Zach Bryan and Charles Wesley Godwin. Within this category are artists who live at the fringes of the singer-songwriter sound such as Noah Kahan. 

One musician in particular, Wyatt Flores, a Stillwater, Oklahoma native, turned some heads following the release of his debut album titled “Travelin’ Kid,” and Flores has continued to drive a crowd, selling out venues across the nation. 

On Feb. 19 around 5:30 p.m., Flores announced on X that, “Oxford, OH is cancelled with refunds available at the original point of purchase. Detroit and Toronto will be rescheduled at a later date.” 

In a released video, Flores spoke from the heart saying, “This is the only thing I’ve ever cared about, and for some reason I can’t figure out I can’t feel a thing… I’m struggling with it…I gotta tell my truth,” ending his video statement with, “I can’t give you what y’all deserve.” 

Following the video a series of written screenshots were posted as well; below is a snippet of Flores’ message.

“I know most people don’t understand what goes on in my mind up on that stage. Because you all have made my dreams come true, I’ve given everything I have to keep touring, writing, and recording. Since November, I’ve been struggling with the feeling of feeling nothing. At the end of the day, I’m human and no one is built to run this hard without taking care of themselves while feeling this much adrenaline.” 

“I can’t sit on stage and tell y’all to go live your life and do what makes you feel alive when I’m not doing the same. It’s been breaking my heart, because I’ve been confused on why I’ve felt numb to the one thing that has made me feel most alive. The truth is, I struggle with my sense of worth and sometimes feel like I’m only loved because of the guitar that sits in my hand.” 

“Feelings don’t go away. I used to cover them up by crawling into bottles and any other distraction available. I’ve slowed down on my drinking and trying to take better care of myself. All of a sudden the feelings finally caught up. I’m learning the hard way that you have to process what I’ve been through. And the truth of the matter is, I haven’t.”

“Not only is this a reminder to myself, but it should be a reminder to everyone. Take care of yourself before you take care of others, and I’ll be back before too long. Love y’all” 

Take this as a reminder, mental health is important no matter who you are. If you or someone you know is struggling, Tarleton State University has Counseling Service resources available for those who need them. To make an appointment, please call (254) 968-9044 and if you are in crisis please call 9-1-1.