JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WKBW) — “10 years ago, I was destined for a grave. Now, here I am inspiring others and inspiring my daughter. In general, I’m just living the life I always dreamt of living,” Mindy Davey said.
The road to being a well-known singer wasn’t always an easy one for Mindy Davey. She knew from a young age that it was always something she could achieve.
Music ran in the family, and that definitely played a role.
“You always hear people say that singing is not a real job. Well my parents always encouraged me to go for that and go for my dreams,” Davey said.
Her mother, Linda, said it didn’t take long to recognize a true talent was there.
“I had an old acoustic guitar. She picked it up one day and just started strumming on it, and I said ‘oh, she’s got it,’” Davey said.
Mindy wasn’t even 10-years-old when she first started singing and playing guitar. But as she started developing as an artist, her mom noticed one musical ability above the rest.
“The talent she has for writing is phenomenal,” Davey said.
Mindy’s producer, Derek Wheeler at Lost Recording Studios in Jamestown has worked with her for over two years now. He always looks forward to seeing her in the studio because he notices the same thing.
““When she comes in, she knows exactly what she’s going to sing. Her songs always have a direct meaning to them,” Wheeler said.
That ability to write so personally, so well; It all came from an opiate addiction that Mindy battled with for four years.
“It just took all the pain away that I was going through at the time,” Davey said.
During that time, Mindy would be arrested for possession, and get put into rehabilitation for her addiction.
It was the toughest moment of her life, but her mom always knew she would make it out the other side, and find her way back to music.
“I just prayed, and prayed, and prayed. I just knew she was going to pick it up again,” Davey said.
Everything started to change while Mindy was in rehab, when she found out she was pregnant with her daughter, Arianna.
“I knew that this fight wasn’t just me anymore. I knew that whatever I put inside my body was going to be hurting my child,” Davey said.
It gave Mindy a purpose again and said it saved her life. She began writing music again, picking up the guitar and going on live-streaming websites to play her new music for her fans.
On her upcoming album, Destiny, she has a song fully dedicated to her daughter. Arianna has special needs, but Mindy knows that doesn’t matter.
“Sometimes the stigma with special needs kids is that they can’t do something. Well, they’re actually really smart and talented, and these kids deserve to know that,” Davey said.
Her daughter is featured at the end of the song, with laughter and love that will make almost anybody emotional. It’s a true mother-daughter connection, and one that Mindy is blessed to have everyday.
“She saved my life. She gives me meaning, and it’s an amazing feeling,” Davey said.
If you or someone you know battles with addiction, you can click here for New York State’s resources to help.
