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Rising pop artist Josiah Gomula, known professionally as Lil Josiey<\/a>, is making waves in the Capital Region music scene and using his growing platform to address an issue close to his heart: mental health awareness.<\/p>\n Lil Josiey recently won \u201cFavorite Pop Artist\u201d at the Listen Up Music Awards<\/a> in Cohoes. His music career began at 18, when his debut track \u201cSunset Shardi\u201d went viral on SoundCloud, racking up more than three million streams.<\/p>\n His latest album, \u201cCatharsis,\u201d was inspired by personal experiences and the people around him, aiming to break the stigma around mental health struggles, particularly among young men.<\/p>\n \u201cI connected a lot of people, because recently, I\u2019ve been doing a lot of stuff for mental health and mental health awareness,\u201d Lil Josiey said. \u201cThat\u2019s what I really, really want to do the music for \u2014 to connect with people and to make sure that we all know at the end of the day we\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n Data shows that while mental health challenges are rising<\/a> for young people overall, boys and young men often display different signs of struggle, such as disruptive behavior or substance use. A Pew Research Center survey<\/a> found nearly two-thirds of teens say boys are more disruptive in class compared to just 4 percent who say the same about girls. However, rates of physical fighting and drug use among boys have declined.<\/p>\n Lil Josiey also highlights organizations like Access Supports for Living<\/a>, which provide resources for those seeking help. \u201cIt\u2019s okay to be hurt, it\u2019s okay to be sad, and it\u2019s okay to open yourself up,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you\u2019re beating yourself up every day, it\u2019s not worth it \u2014 because you are loved by people.\u201d<\/p>\n