Mini Series: Oasis and Mental Health (Part 2) – with Cynthia Liza

Sound Affects Podcast: Music & Mental Health, with Katy Georgiou

Trigger warning: This episode contains references to childhood sexual abuse, racism, self-harm, suicidal ideation, drug use and also contains some details of a traumatic incident involving fire. (See support links below.)

In Part 2 of the Oasis and Mental Health mini series, I interview previous @OasisPodcast guest @Cynthializa, who is a stylist at Selfridges. In her previous interview with James from Oasis Pod (see Oasis Podcast, episode 47), Cynthia credits Oasis for her decision to quit her job as a teacher in Canada to study at the London College of Fashion and pursue her dream of being a stylist.

However, there's another part to that story which she didn't reveal at the time: a harrowing incident which had left her suicidal and dependent on drugs, until a chance conversation with Liam Gallagher backstage at a festival helped set her psychologically free and on a path to recovery.

Frustratingly (for me at least), discussions on Oasis are typically framed around a white, British male focus, and this episode moves away from that entirely. We explore Cynthia's experiences of childhood sexual abuse and racism growing up in a mixed race family, and she explains how Oasis songs helped to soothe her from this in her teenage years. We then look at a traumatic incident that occurred in her early adult life which initially set her off on a destructive path of self-harm, low self-worth, drug abuse and suicidal feelings. Again, she describes how it was the music of Oasis, and in particular Noel Gallagher's resolve, that helped to soothe her in post traumatic stress and eventually overcome her drug dependency. Finally, she describes a chance conversation she had backstage at Roskilde festival with Liam Gallagher, whose words of wisdom in response to her pain helped shift her mindset about her self worth and cemented her decision to move to the UK and turn her life around completely.

To get in touch:

Twitter @SoundAffectsPod

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Follow Cynthia: @LizaStyle

Follow Oasis Podcast: @OasisPodcast

For help and support with any of the issues raised:

The Women and Girls Network (for all women and girls affected by all forms of violence and abuse): https://www.wgn.org.uk/ Survivors UK, for survivors of male sexual abuse https://www.survivorsuk.org/

Support links for burns and scars: https://katiepiperfoundation.org.uk/support-links-burns/

For help with addiction and dependency:

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/addiction-and-dependency/addiction-and-dependency-resources/

Samaritans: 116 123 or www.samaritans.org