When The Funeral Portrait frontman Lee Jennings talks about his band’s single “Dark Thoughts,” he doesn’t treat it like just another track on their album — he treats it like therapy. “People don’t talk about it enough,” he says. “I try to live my life as an open book. I try really hard to be personable. I try to be just me. And I think that’s something that’s missing from modern music.”
For Jennings, who’s long been open about living with depression, anxiety, and OCD, songs like “Dark Thoughts” are a kind of mirror — one that reflects pain honestly, but refuses to let it define him. “I want to be a voice for the voiceless,” he explains. “I know people struggle with anxiety and OCD and depression because I deal with them. I know there are other people out there that deal with it. There has to be.”
The Funeral Portrait, who describe their sound as “emo-active rock,” are known for their theatrical flair and emotional extremes — an aesthetic Jennings credits to growing up on My Chemical Romance, The Used, and the warped, grindcore chaos of early-2000s underground shows. But where other acts might cloak emotion in metaphor, Jennings strips it bare. “If I can be the voice for people that aren’t strong enough to talk about it or open enough to talk about it, that’s what I want to do,” he says.
That commitment to honesty is what makes “Dark Thoughts” hit hard. Behind the dramatic production and gothic grandeur, it’s a cry for connection — a reminder that vulnerability isn’t weakness. “It seems to be connecting with a lot of people,” Jennings says. “Because again, I like to help people, and that’s another reason why I like doing my band and doing music. If I can help someone, to me that’s all that matters.”
Jennings has made a mission out of erasing the line between stage and listener. He meets fans at merch tables, runs a community Discord, and engages directly online. That openness has sparked a fandom built on mutual understanding rather than spectacle. “Sometimes just being nice to people can go such a long way,” he says.
“Dark Thoughts” may be rooted in personal struggle, but its message is universal — an anthem for anyone who’s ever felt swallowed by their own mind. For Jennings, that’s the point. “At the end of the day, I just want to help people,” he says. “That’s what this band is about.”
Watch Skratch N Sniff’s full interview with Lee Jennings from The Funeral Portrait Below!