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Bad Cop / Bad Cop speak out about mental health in new music video for “Victoria”

[Photos by Lindsey Byrnes and Bad Cop / Bad Cop/Youtube]

Los Angeles punk quartet Bad Cop / Bad Cop have just released a video for “Victoria,” a track from their second full-length album, Warriors. With great pathos, “Victoria” serves as the album’s vivid empathetic reflection of loss. Bad Cop / Bad Cop’s Stacey Dee bursts with bona fide sincerity when talking about the story behind the band’s latest music video.

Read more: Hayley Williams talks power of therapy and conversation: “Get it all out”

In lieu of Mental Health Awareness Month, Bad Cop / Bad Cop found it imperative to release their video for “Victoria.” Based on the loss of a friend’s child at the young age of 13, Dee claims that she wrote it to deal with her own grief and deteriorating mental health.

“Knowing this beautiful young lady would never get a chance to grow up killed me,” Dee says of Victoria. “Writing this song was the only thing I knew to do.”

In her own life, Dee has stood toe-to-toe with the emotionally tolling circumstances of having poor mental health. After reaching her lowest point on Fat Wreck Chords’ 25th anniversary tour, Dee went to detox and came back stronger than ever before. Now focusing on writing political powerhouses and emotional punk ballads, Warriors is the band’s fierce ode to resilience and perseverance. Having finally  found her footing, Dee believes it is now her obligation to help those who may not be in the same headspace.

“I have battled suicidal thoughts for a significant portion of my life,” she says. “I empathize with people who are hurting so badly that they want to harm themselves. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I was sad and sick for a long time, but I’m not anymore. I’ve learned how to get out from underneath it. Now, in turn, it’s important to me to help others find their own way out.”

Dee says that negativity is to blame for society’s mental state. While she thinks that proper diagnosis and medical attention is important for many people, she also thinks that we can solve a lot of our problems by simply radiating kindness and love.

“We need to build each other up and focus on the positives in ourselves and not just label ourselves with our mental illness,” Dee says. “We all have something wrong with us! That shouldn’t ever stop anyone from getting up and going out to have a great life, regardless.”

You can watch Bad Cop / Bad Cop’s video for “Victoria” below.

If you are feeling suicidal, or are in need of resources, Bad Cop / Bad Cop provided us with important connections to help you:

The Sidewalk Project
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
Crisis Text Line: Text Hello to 741741
Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

This summer, Bad Cop / Bad Cop will be hitting the road on a world tour. They may even be playing a Punk In Drublic Craft Beer and Music Festival near you. You can get a full list of tour dates here.

05/19 – Brockton, MA @ Campanelli Stadium
05/20 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Highmark Stadium
06/02 – Thornville, OH @ Legend Valley