EXCLUSIVESinger Niko Moon Says Hitting Rock Bottom Made Him Realize Life Is Short, Wants to Inspire Others With His Hit Song 'Better Days'
Feb. 14 2024, Published 6:58 p.m. ET
Though no one wants to be at their lowest point, it actually helped Niko Moon get to where he is now.
"I've been dealing with anxiety and depression my whole life, ever since I was a kid. As I went through more and more experiences, the water level got higher to where I eventually started coping with substances and things like that. I would try and numb myself. It got to me to the place where I was like, 'Something's gotta change here.' I also started experiencing some health issues, and I began having heart palpitations. I went to the doctor to figure out what was going on, and he told me, 'You're drinking so much that your body is started to suffer physically.' That was a real wake-up for me," the 41-year-old artist, who is currently on tour, exclusively tells OK!.
"I'm not invincible," he continues. "I think my inability to face my struggles at that time started getting real to me. I had a lot of relationships starting to go south, and I know a good part of that reason was because of my addictive nature," he continues. "I'm stubborn, and I was always one of those people who had to learn things the hard way. I had to get to the bottom before I came to that conclusion."
Niko Moon has been open about his own sobriety journey.
Now that Moon, who shares daughter Lily Ann Moon with wife Anna Moon, is sober and doing well, he hopes to inspire others who might be dealing with any type of hardship. "I hope my life can encourage people wherever they are in that process. I want them to pause and take a look at things and say to themselves, 'Life is short. Life is precious. We only have one life to live,'" he shares. "I think that's important for me to get out there as a country artist because in my genre, it's very like, 'Pull up your bootstraps type of people.' I love that resilience and strength, but at the same time, no one is immune from difficulties, pain and suffering."
The country star recently poured out his heart onto his new album, called Better Days, which hit No. 1 on the country iTunes albums chart in January. The lead single, "Better Days," doesn't shy away from talking about mental heath and addiction.
"Better days are out there. It's this beautiful community of people that I get to celebrate with at a show," he shares of getting feedback in real life. "I'm so grateful. Hearing the song can hopefully help someone out there find happiness again. That's the message. We're living in a time right now where we can all agree there's a lot of division in the world, and I am just focused on bringing people together. It's a simple goal, but it's super important."
What's even sweeter is that Moon is donating all streaming profits from the song — meaning all someone has to do is listen to the song and they are literally saving a life — to the Happy Cowboy Foundation to give therapy to those who need for free. "The nonprofit is set up to help people get therapy that are looking for it but can't afford it. It's probably one of the most beautiful things I've ever been a part of it, and I'm excited to see how many people get help for whatever they're going through. I found a lot of help through therapy in my life," he explains.
The musical artist shares daughter Lily Ann Moon with his wife, Anna Moon.
"I'm a big believer that life is a roller-coaster and we all have our ups and downs, but we inevitably all go through difficult times — whether it's the loss of someone close to us or a bad breakup," he adds. "It's important to talk to someone because it can be overwhelming at times. Not everybody can afford therapy, though. That's where my heart lies in wanting to help as many people who are in that situation as possible. I've been in that situation before."
Moon is thrilled to be going out and playing his music for his fans, as he called it one big "therapy tour."
"It's exciting to be part of it. I've always loved music so much, and I'm a big believer music can go a long way in helping you preserve a good outlook on life and keeping us in a healthy headspace," Moon, who has written songs for Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, Rascal Flatts, and Morgan Wallen, says. "But sometimes you need more than a positive song or a positive conversation. That's what the Happy Cowboy Foundation will be doing. To go on tour and help others is a dream come true."
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After the Texas native rocks out on stage, he hangs with his fans for a few hours where they take pictures and talk about life. "I hear so many stories," he notes. "A guy said that in spin class, he had a heart attack and his heart stopped for 20 minutes. He didn't regain consciousness until he was at the hospital, and when he got home, he heard music again for the first since dying for 20 minutes. He went, 'Hey, Alexa, play Niko Moon.' The first song that came on was 'It's a Great Day to Be Alive,' a cover by Travis Tritt that is on my first album. Tears just started streaming down my face."
"I'll never forget the impact that had on me," he continues. "To put this kind of music out there is important. Those songs encourage people to have hope."
What's even sweeter is that Moon is donating all streaming profits from 'Better Days' to the Happy Cowboy Foundation
Moon is still in awe of how far he's come as he recalls living in his best friend's basement and paying him $250 a month in rent. "My wife and I didn't have anything, and those were some of the happiest times of my life," he says. "I was newly in love and we were dreaming together this big dream we had."
The dad-of-one also remembered what it was like to struggle in his career. "There was a time when no one knew who I was. I was just a local cover artist in Georgia playing at little dive bars," he says. "I was playing at a Mexican restaurant, and I was feeling the lowest of the low."
Still, Moon didn't give up and got to where he is today. "I told myself to keep the faith, and two months later, Zac Brown was sitting at the back of a bar that I was playing and my whole life changed," he says. "He saw me playing and saw the potential in me. You never know what opportunity will come your way. You just have to hold on. I ended up spending the next 12 years touring with Zac Brown Band. I consider that my PhD in music! I learned to hear music in a different way. He taught me a lot."
After seeing how Zac Brown Band interacted with their loyal fanbase, that's when Moon made it his mission to do the same. "To have a relationship with your fanbase in a way where it feels like a community is beautiful," he notes. "I'm doing everything I can to create that relationship with the Good Timers."
Niko Moon is currently on tour.
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