“I thought sharing some of the ups and downs in my life might be able to help other people navigate and relate,” she said.
Madison Beer was propelled into the spotlight at just 12 years old. At 24, the “Dangerous” singer is opening up about her life experience in the entertainment industry in her new memoir The Half of It. Madison shared an excerpt from the book with People, where she opened up about experiencing suicidal thoughts when she was 16.
Madison revealed that she felt overwhelmed by the changes she experienced in her career while standing on a balcony and contemplating whether or not she should jump. At the time, she had recently separated from her former manager and record label and was working as an independent artist when nude images of the teen were leaked on social media. “While negotiating the details of going independent was rocky, the emotional turmoil of being dropped was harder to work through. It wasn’t just a bump in my career—it was a hit to my personal life, too,” she explained.
The singer revealed that on a “particularly heavy day,” she climbed over the edge of her balcony in Los Angeles and stood there with “a million thoughts running through my head as I stared down at the ground, my eyes going in and out of focus.” Madison continued, “I don’t think I would have jumped. It was more about knowing that I could — that I had a way out if it became too much. Still, I lingered there for a long while, chilled by the fact that I wasn’t all that scared of being up so high.”
Madison’s younger brother alerted her parents, and she climbed back over the balcony but was confused about “why they were making such a big deal out of it.” According to the singer, “The thought of killing myself was so normal to me at that point that I had forgotten it wasn’t something everyone pondered on a daily basis.”
In a previous interview with People, Madison explained what inspired her to write her memoria. “I really wanted to write this book now because I thought sharing some of the ups and downs in my life might be able to help other people navigate and relate.” She also explained how she wanted the book to encourage people to be kinder to each other online. “I hope by sharing my honest journey that perhaps someone that wanted to hide behind a keyboard to be mean or poke fun at someone else’s expense thinks twice before they hit ‘send.’ I hope that we can find the strength to support each other and that we can work to treat others in the way we would want to be treated.”
The Half of It will be released by Harper Books on April 25.
If you or anyone you know are having a tough time and are in need of support for your mental health and overall well-being, text “STRENGTH” the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to get connected to a certified crisis counselor.
If you or anyone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visiting the official website for additional support.
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