Singer Katie Melua has announced the birth of her second child, a baby boy named Max. The 41-year-old, who is already a parent with partner Ollie to their three-year-old son Sandro, shared a picture of herself holding the newborn on social media.
New arrival announced
In the photo, the Closest Thing to Crazy hitmaker kept the tot's head warm with a sky-blue hat. She wrote: "New arrival… Max is here! So lucky to be mum to two beautiful boys. Sandro’s been the best big brother so far. Long may it last."
Fans were quick to respond, with one writing: "Such lovely news, congratulations on the birth of Max", while another added: "Ah, that’s gorgeous news! Congratulations!"
Past mental health struggles
Last year, Katie candidly opened up about suffering an acute psychotic breakdown. She admitted she had feared for her music career after her mental health struggles in her twenties. She spent six weeks in hospital in 2010 and was forced to take a break from her music career.
Speaking openly to the Mirror, she explained how she felt at the time of her breakdown. She said: "At the time, it was like, you know, and this is gonna sound a bit cartoonish, but it felt like living through an apocalypse. Actually living through an apocalypse.
"I had no mental health history before that, and none in my family that I knew of, so I didn't really know what was going on, and my perception of the world around me had flipped completely upside down."
Recovery and perspective
She revealed how, at the time, while she didn't hallucinate, she had the feeling she was "about to get killed". "It was acute paranoia," she said. "[It felt like] My loved ones are about to get killed, like it was that level of psychosis. And it was kind of like dying, and then when I got better, it was like having a chance at a second life.
"I can't even describe how bad it was. To come back from something like that was the most astonishing and inspiring and sort of life-giving thing. I'm very grateful for being given that perspective."
Explaining what it felt like when her breakdown initially came on, she said it came at a time she had been struggling with being on the road all the time. Katie also said the pressures surrounding her work didn't help. "The diary was insane," she said. "There was a crazy amount of travel."
