When Illenium debuted his forthcoming new song “Take You Down” at Global Dance Festival earlier this month, he told the crowd that it was a very personal song for him. The precise reasoning for the song’s importance to Illenium remained a mystery until today, when he shared his own dark past with addicition.
“Six years ago I overdosed on heroin,” writes Illenium.
It’s not a sentence that any fan expected to hear, but the potential for addiction lives within anyone. The song is about his battle with addiction and overcoming the hurdles attached to it, and how much saved his life. However, he says that the song is even more specifically about his mother, “and how no matter what, she never gave up on me and always continued to see the good even though all I was doing was fucking up.” 
With more and more DJs and producers coming forward about their own struggles, Illenium is helping to erase a horrible stigma of judging addicts for what they were, and not what they are or have the potential to become.
We are highly anticipating the release of “Take You Down” this Friday. Read Illenium’s full statement below.
https://www.facebook.com/ILLENIUM/photos/a.321889744598760.75573.309880712466330/1780538175400569/?type=3&theater
