Who We Are
WFMH Board Candidates for Election
2025-2027
Chad Lawson
Country: USA
Region: North America & Eng. Caribbean
Nominator: Self
Candidate 1000 word statement
Chad Lawson – Candidate for WFMH Board of Directors (2025–2027)
In 2020, just before the world shut down, I launched a podcast called Calm It Down. I had been studying the connection between music and mental health for years, exploring what happens in the brain when we listen to sound that soothes and grounds us. When the pandemic arrived and touring stopped overnight, I decided to channel my work into something more intimate and helpful. A podcast that people could turn to when they felt overwhelmed, anxious, or alone.
Since then, Calm It Down has reached over 7 million downloads. It’s become a daily companion for listeners in more than 140 countries. Seventy-three percent of them are women between the ages of 14 and 28. They’re navigating depression, identity, trauma, and a constant digital pressure to be okay. My podcast was never meant to be a fix. It was meant to be a hand to hold.
That same spirit lives in every part of my work today. Whether I’m speaking at universities, creating guided breathwork events, or releasing music designed to soothe the nervous system, my focus remains the same: reaching young adults in creative, accessible, and emotionally honest ways.
As a composer and pianist signed to Universal Music Group, I’ve had the privilege of using my platform to engage in meaningful mental health work around the world. I’ve collaborated with Thrive Global, led sessions at Stanford, Emory, Auburn, and the University of Indiana, and hosted breathwork workshops for Nike, Amazon, Peloton, and other companies trying to care for their people more intentionally. In every room, the goal is the same: give people tools they can carry with them when the hard moments hit.
One of the most profound collaborations I’ve had recently is with To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention and emotional healing. Their mission reflects exactly what I hear every day from my audience. The three most common themes in the messages I receive are suicide, sexual abuse, and loneliness. I don’t take those words lightly. I carry them with me when I write music, when I record podcast episodes, and when I sit in front of a room full of college students trying to catch their breath.
I have collaborated with numerous organizations and served in various ambassadorial and advisory roles, including with Apple Music, Thrive Global, To Write Love on Her Arms, and the World Federation for Mental Health, where I currently serve as a UN Ambassador.
That’s why I’m applying to serve on the WFMH Board of Directors. Because I believe that mental health advocacy must go beyond awareness. It must meet people where they are—on their phones, in their playlists, in the quiet moments at night when they feel most alone. We need to expand the definition of care.
This year, I was honored to be invited by Apple Music to join a groundbreaking new initiative called Sound Therapy, developed in partnership with Sollos. This science-based sound frequency program uses my music—alongside artists like Elton John, Ludovico Einaudi, and The Weeknd—to help listeners focus, sleep, and regulate emotional states. My involvement in this program has led to more speaking engagements and wellness activations, where I explore how sound frequency can serve as a legitimate mental health tool. As one of the faces of the initiative, I’m helping bring the science of sound to new audiences worldwide.
In 2023, I was appointed as a United Nations Ambassador for the World Federation for Mental Health. I composed and released The Light Within as the official anthem for World Mental Health Day and promoted WFMH’s work through my podcast and global platforms. This role deepened my respect for the Federation and reinforced my belief in the power of collaboration, not just between organizations, but between disciplines—science, art, and lived experience.
If elected to the Board, I would bring strategic insight, creative leadership, and an unwavering focus on youth engagement. My areas of contribution would include:
- Developing campaigns and content that resonate with teens and young adults
- Expanding WFMH’s use of digital platforms like podcasts, streaming, and social media
- Integrating music and breathwork into existing programming for global accessibility
- Supporting World Mental Health Day and International Day of Hope through multimedia partnerships
I am an active WFMH Ambassador and Individual Member, with no conflicts of interest and full availability for meetings, committee work, and strategic initiatives. I bring a unique blend of public reach and personal presence, backed by over 1 billion streams and a decade of performance history. But what I bring most of all is care. Deep, intentional care for the people who feel forgotten in this conversation.
I do not see this role as honorary. I see it as hands-on. I am not looking for a seat at the table. I am looking to help build a table long enough and wide enough to include those who have never felt invited.
At the end of my term, I hope to look back and see WFMH with an even stronger global presence, especially among the next generation. I hope we’ll have reached them not just with education, but with empathy. Not just with statistics, but with stories. And I hope we’ll have created more spaces where people feel seen, safe, and supported.
Thank you for considering my nomination. I would be honored to serve.
Candidate additional statement if provided