BATTLE LOST

Guitarist Dies at 26 After Mental Health Struggles

“Please take a moment to check in with your loved ones,” the guitarist’s family said in a statement.

Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, a guitarist for the British rock band Black Midi, has died at the age of 26. In a post Monday, the band’s record label, Rough Trade Records, shared a statement from the guitarist’s family stating that he died “after a long battle with his mental health.” Kwasniewski-Kelvin co-founded Black Midi with his friends from the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology: Geordie Greep on vocals, Morgan Simpson on drums, and Cameron Picton on bass guitar. Their debut album, Schlagenheim, was released in 2019 and shortlisted for that year’s Mercury Prize. In 2021, Kwasniewski-Kelvin shared a post on social media stating that his “time off” from the band was due to mental health struggles, and he never returned to appear on the band’s subsequent material. “A talented musician and a kind, loving young man finally succumbed; despite all efforts,” read a statement from the guitarist’s family, adding, “please take a moment to check in with your loved ones so we can stop this happening to our young men.”

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.

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