Nashville-based country singer, songwriter, Brinn Black shares her latest song, “Daddy’s Medicine.” She wrote it to help others understand what it is like growing up with an alcoholic father and how that experience affects her today. Brinn answers a few questions in today’s article and can be reached through her website, BrinnBlack.com.

What did it mean for you to release a song like “Daddy’s Medicine?”

It was such a coming out experience for me. I think I lived my whole life not talking about it, and so it felt so good to be at peace with my story and share it from a place of strength.

How long did it take to write a song this personal?

Honestly, it came out in 30 minutes and it kind of wrote itself. I remember looking at my journal afterwards and thinking “where did this come from”… then I ugly cried, and it felt so good.

Everything connected to this song has been such a cathardic experience. From the creation of it, to the video, to putting out in the world, I think it has been slowly healing my heart from the inside out.

Has your dad heard the song? If so, what was his reaction?

He has. I was so nervous for him to hear it but his response was so beautiful. He said that he felt like the song gave some kind of purpose and meaning to the darkness we have all been through, and took away some of the guilt that has come with his struggle with addiction. He said that maybe because of the song and hearing our story, other families might be able to talk about the things we didn’t talk about,  and it might save people  from the hurt that we have experienced due to his addiction. I am so grateful for his response and support for the song. It brought us a lot closer, and gave me the courage to record the song as well as put it out in the world.

What advice do you have for kids going through the same things you did?

I want every kid going through what I did to know they are not alone. That they don’t ever have to dim their light just because someone in their family might be making them feel like they have to. I would tell them that there is strength in talking about what is hurting them, even if it doesn’t feel like it, and its okay  to not be okay. I spent a lot of time thinking it wasn’t okay to hurt, but the truth is that everybody hurts at times in their lives.. some more than others, and it’s what makes us all humans. Hurt is what makes us resilient, creative and compassionate, and that is really beautiful to me. I hope other kids going through some of the things I did know that hurting doesn’t make them broken, defective or unwanted… it makes them beautiful.

Click below to listen to Brinn’s song…