The power of music to heal mental health: ZerrekTheDog
“I want to help heal the scene is to help heal other people who may not have access to music, that may not have the easiest time to get access to music, and help them get to that point to where they can, and to where they can get back on their feet with the power of music behind them to help them hold themselves up.”
— ZerrekTheDog, HeartSupport fundraiser
Zerrek is a Rhode Island-based animator, video editor, and YouTuber who has amassed a following of over 100,000 subscribers. They are also one of HeartSupport’s latest and most dedicated fundraisers.
Zerrek, whose channel is officially dubbed ZerrekTheDog, has been animating for over seven years now. As their YouTube following grew, they knew they wanted to celebrate in a major way when they hit 100,000 streams.
“My main goal was to have a charity stream because I wanted to give back to the people who helped me by helping someone else as well,” Zerrek explains. “I was going through a website that lets you choose which charities to support while you do a livestream. I just happened to choose HeartSupport.”
That choice was driven in part because Zerrek was intrigued by the HeartSupport description. Zerrek has a long history with music, spanning everything from recent acts like Sub Urban to alt-music mainstays like Three Days Grace and Linkin Park. That passion has always been intricately interwoven in Zerrek’s animating work as well.
They say, “I work with music all the time. So that part of HeartSupport alone was a pretty good connection with how I do my job because most of the time I am animating songs or doing songs with other people. Music is the main purpose behind my channel, I'd say the main foundation of it. So I figured that would fit the theme with my channel as well, while also giving to something that I deeply support as well. I've grown up on music, love music — always have, always will.”
That love for music comes from seeing its true power. Zerrek has had their fair share of mental health struggles and difficult times. For them, music has been the most essential way to get through the darkness while simultaneously sparking inspiration for creativity.
“I try to persevere, and I’d definitely say music has helped to make it easier,” Zerrek confesses. “To not have that weight on your shoulders as you keep going forward. Having a fund that also supports that idea is really cool.”
Describing how they music to cope, the animator says, “I'd have specific playlists that I would listen to — just to isolate myself, listen to music, let myself feel those feelings, regulate them, and then come out on the other side feeling better than I did before. I would be listening to things like The Neighborhood or Elliott Smith or just softer, toned-down songs that help fit the vibe and regulate. It’s like, ‘Hey, it's okay to be upset about something. Let's just jam out by ourselves, maybe do some drawing or some work on the side, and just chill.
Zerrek feels a deep connection to their viewers, who they want to have that same kind of regulating experience with music. As 100,000 subscribers neared, HeartSupport felt like the perfect organization to bring onto their channel.
“It was the moment when I saw what the entire organization stands for, the idea that music is support for other people's mental health. I think that is very effective because there are a lot of songs out there that can align with how you feel and help you process those feelings better,” Zerrek reflects.
When the creator hit 100,000 subscribers in September of 2024, they launched a 12-hour livestream. They got seven other YouTubers from their community involved. More than 2,500 people watched. And they blew through their fundraising goal as their audience caught on to the vision.
“It definitely succeeded a lot more than I thought it was going to, honestly!” Zerrek admits. “It started off slow at first, and then it got bigger as all my other friends came in. It was definitely a group effort. We were kind of just playing it by ear, just making it up as we went. Overall, I felt really proud and happy about how it went, along with being able to give towards something rather than having it just be about me.”
The impact goes beyond the actual dollars donated, although that in itself was significant and will result in many hours of peer support through HeartSupport’s online support system. Many of the viewers were learning about HeartSupport for the first time.
The streamer shares, “A good chunk of people were asking about the fund and were interested in seeing more of it, which was really nice to see. Honestly, I'm excited to see where the money will go, to see how you HeartSupport will be able to use it to help other people.”
For Zerrek, this was only the beginning. They’re hoping to do more charity live streams in the future, maybe even a 24-hour stream. They hope that the word about HeartSupport continues to spread in the process, extending the healing power of music to more and more people.
“HeartSupport matters just as much as music matters,” Zerrek says earnestly. “I think that is something that everybody can definitely agree on: music is there to help. There's no language barrier to it. There's no reason for there to be a barrier to it, because everybody can enjoy it.”
If you believe in music’s ability to heal mental health as much as Zerrek does, there are ways you can be a part of fueling that mission too. If you make a donation today at any amount, those dollars will go towards healing the scene. If you’d like to go the extra mile, you can become a monthly donor or start your own fundraiser in your community. Together, we have the power to heal the scene.
