“She’s My Inspiration” — Dan Reynolds Shares How a Surprise Call From Halsey Sparked His Five-Year Journey Writing About Mental Health

For Dan Reynolds, frontman of Imagine Dragons, music has always been a bridge — a way to connect what’s unspoken with what’s deeply felt. But one unexpected phone call from pop artist Halsey in 2018 didn’t just lead to a creative collaboration — it changed the way Reynolds viewed himself, his music, and his mission.

“She’s my inspiration,” Reynolds said. “That one call reminded me why music matters — not for fame or charts, but for healing.”

📞 “It Was a Random Tuesday — and Then Halsey Called”

It was late 2018. Imagine Dragons had just finished their massive Evolve world tour, and Reynolds was emotionally drained.

“I was in this weird space,” he admitted. “Touring nonstop, juggling family, music, expectations. I felt burned out — just empty.”

Then, out of nowhere, his phone rang.

“It was Halsey,” he said, smiling. “We’d met before, but we weren’t close. She said, ‘Hey, I’ve been thinking about you and your songs. I want to talk — not business, not music industry — just life.’”

What started as a brief check-in became a two-hour heart-to-heart about mental health, burnout, and the struggles of being vulnerable in a spotlight that never dims.

“She told me about her own battles — how she writes to survive,” Reynolds said. “That honesty hit me hard. I realized I’d been hiding behind my songs instead of healing through them.”

🎶 “We Decided to Make Something That Meant Something”

That conversation led to an idea: a collaboration about mental health — real, raw, and unfiltered.

“Halsey said, ‘Let’s make a song that helps someone feel less alone,’” Reynolds recalled. “That became our mission.”

The two artists traded lyrics and melodies for weeks, writing what Reynolds calls “the most personal song of my life.”

“It never came out,” he admitted. “But that’s okay. It sparked something in me. It made me want to write truthfully — every single time.”

💬 “She Made Me Realize I Was Still Hiding”

Reynolds credits that phone call for forcing him to confront his own emotional walls.

“Halsey doesn’t hide behind perfection — she leads with honesty,” he said. “She made me ask myself: am I really being transparent with my audience? With myself?”

From that moment, Imagine Dragons’ music took a new turn.

“Starting with Mercury — Act 1, every lyric came from truth,” he said. “No metaphors to disguise pain, no pretending everything’s fine. If I was struggling, I wrote it. If I was healing, I wrote that too.”

🧠 A Five-Year Journey Toward Healing

Over the next five years, Reynolds wrote some of Imagine Dragons’ most emotionally direct songs — including “Wrecked,” inspired by the loss of his sister-in-law, and “Cutthroat,” which wrestles with inner conflict and self-doubt.

“Writing became therapy,” he said. “I realized talking about mental health isn’t weakness — it’s courage. And that realization started with that call.”

Reynolds also became more active in mental health advocacy, visiting schools and using his platform to destigmatize therapy and self-expression.

“I get messages from people saying, ‘Your song got me through my worst night,’” he said. “That’s what keeps me going. That’s what music is supposed to do.”

🌈 “She Reminded Me That Art Saves Lives”

Asked what his friendship with Halsey means to him now, Reynolds’ voice softened.

“She reminded me that art saves lives — not because it’s perfect, but because it’s human,” he said. “She didn’t call me to make a hit. She called because she cared. That changed everything.”

For Reynolds, that single act of compassion continues to shape his creative purpose.

“For the last five years, I’ve written every lyric with that same goal — to connect, to help, to heal. I owe that mindset to her.”

🎤 “Music Is How We Survive Each Other”

Now, as Reynolds continues touring and writing, that 2018 call remains one of the defining moments of his artistic life.

“Music is how we survive each other,” he said. “And that day, Halsey reminded me that survival starts with telling the truth.”

With his next chapter already in motion, Reynolds says his mission is simple: to keep making songs that remind people — and himself — that no one has to face their darkness alone.