Singer-songwriter Mike Posner, known for hits including the SeeB remix of 'I Took a Pill in Ibiza', has opened up about his journey from pop stardom to depression and recovery. In a guest column, Posner describes arriving at NightBird Studios in 2014 in a white Porsche, feeling a subtle resentment towards reality despite his success.
Posner was there to write with country artist Jake Owen, hoping for another hit to boost his fame. When he played a new song, the room fell silent. Owen challenged him: 'Why don't you just tell the truth?' That question inspired Posner to write the autobiographical 'I Took a Pill in Ibiza', a departure from his earlier emulation of Justin Timberlake.
After the song's release, Posner's life unravelled. He broke up with his girlfriend, moved into a 1993 Dodge Conversion Van, and grew an unkempt beard. Meanwhile, Island Records executives sent the vocal files to Norwegian duo SeeB, who created a remix that became a global hit. Posner approved the remix from his van, then continued driving around the Rockies, sleeping in Walmart car parks.
Posner reflects on the depression that followed his pop star career, describing it as a 'my-life-should-be-better-in-some-undefined-type-of-way sad'. He credits the process of writing honestly and stepping away from fame as key to his recovery. He recently released a new reinterpretation of 'I Took a Pill in Ibiza' to show how he has evolved.
