Amber Mark Sink In (2024)
According to UNICEF, moving around a lot in childhood has a greater effect on adult mental health than childhood poverty – yeah, let that sink in. And that’s despite the fact that poverty by itself, even when experienced only for a short period of time, can have a long-lasting impact on a child’s cognitive development, physical and mental health, and their opportunities as an adult.
Research from the University of Plymouth came to a striking finding: even children from affluent neighborhoods who moved more than once faced a higher risk of depression than those who stayed put in the poorest neighborhoods. These are statistical values, so of course there are people who moved around a lot as children and were not negatively impacted by it. Amber Mark, for example.
The reason for Mark’s frequent moves was her mother’s career – she was an artist. Mark grew up in places like New York, Miami, Darjeeling and Berlin. "I’m very nostalgic for those times," she revealed in an interview, “and I think it made me absorb so much from different cultures.” No wonder you can hear these diverse influences in her music, including in today's song.
Start the conversation
Become a paid member of The Rest to gain access to the comments section.