Papa Roach have presented a £20,000 cheque to the CALM mental health charity ahead of their massive sold-out London show.
The nu-metal pioneers presented the cheque to the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) before recently taking the stage at their sold-out gig at London’s Wembley Arena. The band had donated £1 from every ticket of their ‘Rise Of The Roach’ tour which includes stops across Europe, the UK and North America.
“The kick-off to the ‘Rise OF The Roach’ has been incredible” said Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix in a press release. “CALM, along with every audience from each tour stop, is now part of our mission to ‘Leave A Light On’ for those who may need help.”
Simon Gunning, CEO of Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) also spoke about the donation, saying: “We can’t thank Papa Roach – and every single person who bought a ticket – enough for their support. Not only have the band raised vital funds for our life-saving work, but they’ve started a conversation on a global scale about suicide prevention.
“When we bring these conversations out of the shadows and into the light, we break down the stigma that surrounds it, and that really does save lives. Thanks to Papa Roach and all the fans for leaving that light on.”
Papa Roach have always been open about raising awareness for mental health issues.
Previously speaking to NME about why the topic remains so close to their heart, Shaddix shared: “ We’ve been singing about it since the beginning. Our first song, ‘Last Resort’ was about a cry for help. It’s always been part of our story and a part of my life. I’ve had my own highs and lows and I’ve come to an understanding of how to grapple with it. I know the darkness, and by putting it into my music it’s connected me with so many thousands upon thousands of people.
“Every day that I’m on tour, I’ll meet somebody who will tell me these exact words: ‘Your music saved my life.’ That wasn’t our intention when we started the music, but the more open and honest I got with the songs, the more I realised that I wasn’t alone in my struggle.”
He continued: “I sit here as a testament of strength and hope, and that’s what I want to share with the world. I want to give back because the fans have given us so much through all the years. They’ve given me the opportunity to chase this dream continuously and keep peeling back the layers of myself through this music. I’ve become more aware of my wounds and I just want to do good.
“I don’t want to bleed on people, I want to patch it up and do right.”
Elsewhere, Papa Roach recently released their new single ‘Even If It Kills Me’ marking their first new music in three years. Speaking to NME about why the song was chosen as their first release of 2025, Shaddix said: “We were looking at the arc of what we did over recent years and what we captured in ‘Ego Trip’ [2022]. We wanted to do something that felt like a good follow-up to our single ‘Leave a Light On (Talk Away The Dark)’, but didn’t want to go straight into another ballad-type song. So it came because we were looking for something different.”
In other news, Papa Roach are set to embark on a North American co-headline tour with Rise Against this spring. Visit here for tickets.
For help and advice on mental health:
- “Am I depressed?” – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
- MITC – A collective of musician industry therapists
- TONIC Rider – Bespoke training and support for music industry professionals
- Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
- Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
- YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably
- The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day
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