Photo: Jason Kempin / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images
Chase McDaniel is using his debut album to share a deeply personal story of survival. Nearly ten years ago, the Kentucky-born singer attempted suicide in his early 20s. Today, at 31, he says music helped him find light in the darkest moments, and he hopes his journey can encourage others.
Speaking with PEOPLE, McDaniel recalled standing on a bridge in Louisville when a stranger pulled him back from the ledge. That moment, he says, was the first time he felt truly seen in his pain — and it became the first step in choosing life.
Raised by his grandparents after his father’s death from an overdose, McDaniel leaned on music from a young age. A Josh Turner CD gifted to him at age six gave him comfort, and he dreamed of making songs that could do the same for others. Still, his 20s were filled with silence and struggle as he hid his mental health battles out of fear of judgment.
Recovery, he explained, wasn’t simple. It meant hospitals, therapy, medication, and learning to reconnect with the world. His album, Lost Ones, is the result of that long journey, with each track tied to his story. The song “Made It This Far” reflects the turning point when he realized how much he had already overcome — and that he deserved to keep going.
Beyond the record, McDaniel founded The Lost Ones Club, a community space for people to share stories of loss, resilience, and healing. With both his music and advocacy, he hopes to show that circumstances can change and that life can improve.
“If I get to do this for the rest of my life,” he said, “what a damn lucky and blessed life that is.”