<\/p>\n
A singer-songwriter has been opening up about how music has helped her through mental health issues.<\/p>\n
Harriet Laws, known as HAZE, has released a new liquid drum and bass track called ‘Hope is a Prayer’.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old said she discovered the genre as a teenager listening to it in nightclubs in Guernsey but music became more important to her as she moved away from the island.<\/p>\n
She said her new song was inspired by her experience of living with bipolar disorder and music “helped save me in many ways”.<\/p>\n
Harriet was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 19-years-old and said she spent some of her early 20s on a psychiatric ward.<\/p>\n
“It wasn’t until I became sick that I realised music and singing was an outlet for me.<\/p>\n
“It wasn’t until then that I realised I have a way forward. I have hope here,” she said.<\/p>\n
The singer said music continued to be a coping mechanism: “Whenever I feel sad or down, I start singing – I put pen to my pad, I start writing poetry, raps.”<\/p>\n
Harriet said liquid drum and bass was “just very peaceful for me”.<\/p>\n
She added: “I suppose I started music as a way to help me get out of the struggle and it helped save me in many ways.”<\/p>\n
She told BBC Radio Guernsey her new track was about believing in yourself and what you love.<\/p>\n
“I was reflecting on being in hospital and coming out of it and I believe… there is hope.<\/p>\n
“If you just reach out, you find that one thing that gives you hope, whatever that might be.”<\/p>\n
Now living in Brighton, Harriet said she moved to the UK at 18 and began writing music a couple of years ago.<\/p>\n
She said: “Moving to the UK has brought about many new struggles for me that I’ve had to overcome.<\/p>\n
“I’ve overcome this through music, but also by meeting new people in the industry.”<\/p>\n
Harriet said she hoped to maintain a connection with Guernsey through future projects, including filming music videos on the island.<\/p>\n
Follow BBC Guernsey on X<\/a> and Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\nMore on this story<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n