Serena Ryder and more than 50 Canadian musicians team up with Kids Help Phone to transform youth mental health

It’s about time we had a banger Canadian hit that supports a good cause! Feel Out Loud is a new fundraising campaign spearheaded by Kids Help Phone and Bell to transform mental health amongst Canada’s youth, and it has enlisted the help of more than 50 Canadian music stars to get the word out. 

Artists for Feel Out Loud have created an anthem for the campaign, called “What I Wouldn’t Do (North Star Calling),” and it features enormous talent the likes of Serena Ryder, Leela Gilday, Alessia Cara, Fefe Dobson, Jully Black, Shawn Desman and a whole lot more.

Speaking of why she wanted to be involved in the mega-star track, Alessia Cara says, “It’s extra important to remind people that as isolating as this time can be, we are all in a similar boat.”

“What I Wouldn’t Do (North Star Calling)” is a combination of Serena Ryder’s song “What I Wouldn’t Do” along with Leela Gilday’s song “North Star Calling.” Ryder’s tune provides an inspiring message and profound lyrics, while Gilday’s song hits different with a sonically beautiful bridge that will definitely make people from coast to coast “feel out loud.”

“It really shows you how healing music is, when you hit on a song that comes from a place of love and truth and vulnerability,” Ryder says. 

“I’m always going to be an advocate for people getting the proper help that they need,” says Alessia Cara. “And advocating for people to just talk about everything!”

Produced by Bob Ezrin and Randy Lennox, other megastars and up-and-coming acts featured on the track include GRAE, JESSIA, Johnny Orlando, JP Saxe, Réve, Roy Woods, Tyler Shaw, and more. This isn’t just a song, it’s also a cross-section of Canada! These rock stars and rhyming Rembrandts come from different provinces, territories, and cities from coast to coast to coast. Most importantly, they represent different diverse groups, with the aim of reaching underserved and equity-deserving communities across the country.

Founding Partner to Kids Help Phone, Bell Canada has already contributed a whopping $15M to the $300M campaign, and Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of BCE Inc is also an Honourary co-chair of the Feel Out Loud Campaign Cabinet.

Feel Out Loud wants Canadians' support because Canada’s youth are struggling more than we even know. In fact, one in two are struggling with their mental health.

“They can call in and they can get the help they need for mental health, for anything really!” Tyler Shaw says of Kids Help Phone. “If you need to talk to someone, that’s why it’s there.”

“Mental health is very important to me. I’ve had my own struggles with mental health,” says hitmaker Shawn Desman, who also contributed to the track. 

“If you are going through something, don’t be afraid to talk about it,” Shaw adds. “Don’t be afraid to start the conversation.”

The anthem and music video will drop this Thursday, March 2 at 12 p.m. ET on Kids Help Phone’s YouTube channel will have its broadcast premiere on March 4, 2023 on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app at 8 p.m. ET ahead of the Buffy Sainte-Marie documentary, Carry it On. 

To learn more and donate to Feel Out Loud, please visit KidsHelpPhone.ca.