Brian Kelley of the country music duo Florida Georgia Line opened up about how he’s been dealing with overwhelming anxiety since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in a chat with his record label this week.
While speaking with the Big Machine Label Group, the singer revealed that he has come to rely on exercise to help tamp down on his worries in recent months, according to PopCulture.com.
Among his new interests, the 35-year-old musician cited yoga as a particularly soothing activity.
Coping: Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley, 35, revealed he was turning to exercise to combat his anxiety amid the pandemic in a chat with his record company Big Machine Label Group, according to PopCulture.com; shown in April 2019 with his wife Brittney Kelley
‘I think we both have found a lot of peace of mind and body and soul and everything in exercise, workin’ out, yoga, trying to stay active,’ he said of himself and his musical partner Tyler Hubbard, 33.
‘Definitely think that helps out with worrying and just getting, maybe a little anxious.’
Key to getting his anxiety under control was learning to distinguish ‘good worry’ from ‘bad worry.’
‘I used to beat myself up about worrying some, and I’ve gotten better about it, but I think when you’re thankful for the things you have and the things that matter there is a little bit of a good worry because you don’t want to lose that. You wanna keep working hard,’ he explained.
Finding peace: ‘I think we both have found a lot of peace of mind and body and soul and everything in exercise, workin’ out, yoga, trying to stay active,’ he said of himself and his collaborator Tyler Hubbard, 33; shown in July 2019
Good and bad: Key to getting his anxiety under control was learning to distinguish ‘good worry’ from ‘bad worry,’ which requires something to take over his attention; shown in September
With the ‘bad worry,’ Kelley thought it was more important to find ways to relax himself.
‘When you get that bad worry, it’s good to go for a run and stay active, call a friend, call someone you need,’ he continued.
‘Worry can get the best of you. It’s a daily fight but you’ve just gotta trust God, trust yourself and get out there and get it.’
The country performer also shared some details on his upcoming studio album with Hubbard, which so far doesn’t have a title or a release date.
However, he confirmed the two had settled on a ‘theme’ for the album, a change from some of their previous releases.
‘Knowing that going into this project has been different for us in a sense and a blast. Just truly excited about this vision, this project and dreaming of, at the moment while we’re recording, what these are gonna feel like playing live next year or years to come, depending on which ones will be singles and so on,’ he said.
New LP: The country performer also shared some details on his upcoming studio album with Hubbard, which so far doesn’t have a title or a release date, but does have a ‘theme’; shown in September
Kelley and Hubbard began their musical collaboration in 2008, when they met while attending Nashville’s Belmont University and began performing in small venues.
After independently releasing their 2010 EP Anything Like Me, they signed a deal with the Big Machine Label Group based on the success of their single Cruise.
Their most recent LP was last year’s Can’t Say I Ain’t Country, which became their fourth release to reach the top five in the Billboard 200 albums chart.
The old days: Kelley and Hubbard first met at Nashville’s Belmont University in 2008, before releasing their first independent EP in 2010; shown in February 2019