Soulection’s Joe Kay Speaks on the Importance of Silence and Finding Balance

We are in the middle of a mental health reckoning. According to the World Health Organization, over 1 billion people worldwide are living with mental health conditions. Our communities aren’t just interested in wellness; they are actively searching for spaces, tools and leaders who can help them heal and reconnect. Through The Mindful Creative®, Creative Strategist and Wellness leader Ian Davis speaks with some of today’s most influential artists and creative leaders through real, unfiltered conversations about what keeps them grounded and the healing work they’re actively doing.  

At this year’s Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, Davis ran into Joe Kay of Soulection Radio, and the seasoned selector and music curator shared his favorite uplifting track and how he prioritizes self-care and well-being.

Ian Davis: If you had a song in your survival toolkit that's a go-to when you're having a tough moment, what is it and why? 

Joe Kay: It's probably “Horns in the Sun,” the Thakzin remix — it's a South African record, and that record just gets my spirits up. It’s just one of the soulful three-step South African records. It has good energy, it’s timeless.

What are you carrying with you in your literal or your metaphorical bag to be well? 

Ooh, yeah, that's a deep question. Right now I'm in a place where I'm just finding balance between work and all the noise, and just making time for myself. So when I get home, sometimes I'm just in silence. I actually try to be as [mentally] light as possible these days. Sometimes I just have to reflect and decompress, and turn off all the noise—because my life is constantly noise and people around me.

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