Anne-Marie paused therapy and let feelings ‘come back’ to write music

By Ellie Iorizzo, PA

Pop star Anne-Marie said she stopped attending therapy sessions because she was feeling “a bit numb” to her emotions, which she relies upon to write music.

The Unhealthy singer, 32, started therapy during lockdown and attended every week for two years.

She described the journey as “slow, but amazing”, which saw her register compassion for herself for the first time.

However, Anne-Marie told Women’s Health UK: “I’d learned so much about how to deal with emotions logically that, recently, I felt how I did when I started therapy – a bit numb.

“I wasn’t depressed like before, but I hadn’t been ecstatically happy in ages or very angry or cried my eyes out.

“I stopped for a while and let those feelings come back.

“When I write music, it’s all about my emotions and situations that I’ve been in, so if I’m numb, I’m not going to have a song for you.”

The 2002 singer said she had struggled with “major confidence issues” since she was a young girl but after attending therapy she “felt confident enough to lock in a session with Niall Horan”.

The pair recorded and released Our Song in 2021 as part of her second studio album, titled Therapy.

“Then, for Unhealthy, the only person I thought was right for it was Shania Twain so I sent her the song – she loved it,” Anne-Marie said.

She added: “I have compassion for myself now, but before therapy, I had none whatsoever.

“I was basically empty because I felt so much for other people that I gave them everything – leaving nothing for myself.

“But then I realised that when you are selfish and look after yourself, you can look after other people more.”

The pop star added that she manages her symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) through building Lego.

“I’ve got a whole town in my house,” she said.

The full interview with Anne-Marie can be read in the November issue of Women’s Health UK, on sale now.