‘We compare, no wonder we’re anxious’: Kiana Valenciano speaks up on pressure to be viral, cool

Singer Kiana Valenciano recently bared her fears of living in a time when it can be difficult to be one’s own self, especially when people can be too quick to judge.

“[In] this day and age it’s getting so hard to just be honest because everyone can see, hear and read anything at any time, giving them the freedom to judge you at any time,” Valenciano said in her Instagram post yesterday, July 14.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz4Byp1AvPF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

“[We] compare ourselves to people we know and don’t know on our feeds and build personas to fit in,” she said. “[No] wonder we’re all anxious.”

She also shed light on her fears of sharing her music after realizing that majority of the music she has been releasing is “skin deep,” since she is too fearful of putting out the songs she “write[s] in silence.” Valenciano said it is scary to think of the people she lets in on her “darkest and most hidden” thoughts.

The 26-year-old cited the pressure which exists in having to “go viral,” building a following, knowing “what’s cool” and looking after her image. Valenciano added that acting as if one does not care about any of these is not a great way to “get by.”

“[I’m] super awkward and usually need a drink to get rid of my on and off social anxiety and [I] noticed that the more [I] try to suppress that, the harder it bites back!” Valenciano said.

To reassure her fans, particularly those who combat similar issues like hers, she said, “remember that we’re all different, we’re all on different journeys, we don’t live perfect lives, and that’s okay.”

Valenciano revealed in 2018 that she has been battling anxiety and depression since 2016. JB

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