| I Am Not Okay | |
| Cover: | Jelly Roll - I Am Not Okay.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Jelly Roll |
| Released: | June 12, 2024 |
| Recorded: | Saxman, Nashville, Tennessee |
| Length: | 3:17 |
| Label: | BBR |
| Producer: | Zach Crowell |
| Prev Title: | All My Life |
| Prev Year: | 2024 |
| Next Title: | Somebody Save Me |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
"I Am Not Okay" is a song by American singer Jelly Roll, released on June 12, 2024. It was written by Jelly Roll, Taylor Phillips, Ashley Gorley, and Casey Brown and produced by Zach Crowell.
Jelly Roll debuted the song at the season 25 finale of The Voice on May 21, 2024.[1] He also performed it at the CMA Fest on June 8, 2024,[2] prior to releasing the song. When announcing the release on Instagram, he wrote the song is "for everyone going through something".[3]
Jelly Roll wrote "I Am Not Okay" with Taylor Phillips, Ashley Gorley, and Casey Brown, while on tour in North Carolina in October 2023.[4] After witnessing the crowd's emotional reaction, Phillips remarked that attending Jelly Roll's concert was akin to going to church, while prompted Jelly Roll to say that he was making it "OK for people not to be OK", which inspired the song's hook.[4] Gorley noted that he had hoped to develop a song about depression, spurred in part by Phillips' annual benefits to honor his friend, Brian Kindle, who died by suicide.[4]
Produced by Zach Crowell at Saxman Studios,[4] the instrumental starts with the plucking of acoustic guitar during the opening verse,[5] [6] before being joined by drums, synthesizers and orchestra.[7] Lyrically, Jelly Roll revolves around his emotional pain and struggles with mental health,[8] mentioning having sleepless nights, voices in his head,[9] good and bad days, and not wanting to be out of bed. In the chorus, he acknowledges there are others in a similar position and encourages hope: "I know I can't be the only one / Who's holding on for dear life / But God knows, I know / When it's all said and done / I'm not okay / But it's all gonna be alright / It's not okay / But we're all gonna be alright".[10]