We all have days that are better than others. Some of us, however, find our bad days devouring us, find ourselves lost in the depths of depression. 

Over a dreamy beat, Ivy Sole delves into those dark days in her new song, “Life.”

“I think my mental health often makes me feel despair even when there is light and love around me,” Sole said in a press release sent to Blavity, “But being able to see through the fog of depression and anxiety is something so invaluable to me.”

In the video for “Life,” seeing through that fog is just what the short film’s protagonist struggles to do.

We see a young man who looks someone you or I might know about to take his own life. 

This unnamed character is based on one of Sole’s friends.

“A friend of mine took his life during my sophomore year of college,” Sole said. “He was such an amazing, vibrant and creative person, so paying homage to him and the commitment he had to being unapologetic and authentic in his art is something that I’ll always carry with me.” 

Sole says she created “Life” in tribute to her lost friend, and wanted it to be something that could encourage others who are suffering through similar struggles.

The song’s chorus is “really my mantra,” Sole says, words that help her to “remember that pain or struggle is temporary in the midst of a trial.”

The lyrics define life as “short,” “simple,” “joy,” “pain,” “wonderful” and “terrible,” while reminding listeners that life is ultimately “beautiful, and love’s the same.”

The video for “Life” showcases all of those aspects of life, focusing on how difficult it can be to see life’s better qualities and how personal the fight against gloom and negativity can be.

We see the film’s protagonist battling himself, the way we all do, and watch as he literally wrestles with the idea of committing suicide.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention figures show that 44, 193 people die from suicide every year, and that black people make up about 10 percent of that number. 

That’s a lot of deaths. 

We hope that Sole’s “Life” can help those struggling with depression, and those saddened, as she has been, by suicide.

If you or someone you know is having a hard time with depression, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has a list of resources on their site.

And be sure to check out "Life" above.