On the evening of May 18, beneath the gilded arches and celestial ceiling of the newly restored Brooklyn Paramount, the Sound Mind Music Festival unfolded as so much more than just a concert. It was a celebration of human resilience, connection and the transformative power of music.
With performances by MILCK, American Authors and headliner BØRNS, the night became a vibrant call to action. It united musicians and mental health advocates on one of the countries most storied stages.
Presented by Sound Mind Live, a nonprofit dedicated to leveraging music for mental health awareness and destigmatization, the festival embodied a mission both bold and deeply personal. To foster a community where open dialogue around mental wellness isn’t just accepted, it’s encouraged.
That mission found a fitting home in the Brooklyn Paramount, a venue whose own legacy mirrors the spirit of unity and transformation.
Opened in 1928, the Brooklyn Paramount was one of the first grand movie palaces built for the “talkies”, or movies with synchronized sound. It signaled a cultural shift in how stories were shared. Its baroque interior, with marble columns, ornate plaster work and a ceiling painted like the sky, once awed audiences with cinematic magic.
More profoundly, it became a beacon for inclusion. In an era marked by segregation, the Paramount stood out as a rare desegregated space, where Black and White audiences could gather under one roof, united by a shared love of jazz, soul and even rock ‘n’ roll.
Legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Buddy Holly once lit up its stage. It was never a mere entertainment hub. It was a cultural unifier.
Now, after decades of musical dormancy and a stunning restoration, the Brooklyn Paramount returns as a “baroque palace for music”. A sanctuary for the arts and a gathering place for all.
That legacy made it the ideal venue for the Sound Mind Music Festival, where music and mental health advocacy merged in a powerful echo of the Paramount’s original ethos: to bring people together through the shared language of music and art.
MILCK opened the evening with a performance rich in emotional honesty and empowerment. Her voice carried both strength and tenderness, drawing the audience into a collective moment of reflection. In a conversation leading up to the festival, she shared, “I want to create a space where people feel safe to feel.”
Her goal wasn’t to perform, it was to connect. It was to embody healing, self-discovery, and forgiveness of self through music. Music has always been MILCK’s way of holding up a mirror and saying, you are not alone. That intention will always be bold.
Songs like “Quiet,” which she originally wrote as an anthem for healing, resonated deeply. In a setting like the Brooklyn Paramount, under the umbrella of Sound Mind Live, its message only intensified. If ever a song fulfilled its purpose, to offer healing and solidarity, it did so in that moment.
Next, American Authors took the stage, infusing the room with uplifting energy and heartfelt presence. Their anthemic sound was impossible to resist, but beneath the joy was a clear alignment with the festival’s mission.
Frontman Zac Barnett mentioned in an interview a week prior, “As far as American Authors goes, the big theme we’ve always kept in our music is hope. No matter what you’re going through, it’s about finding the light at the end of the tunnel and being hopeful for better days.”
Their set struck a powerful balance between fun and depth. They had a way of reminding you that joy and struggle often coexist and both deserve space. A standout moment was “Deep Water,” a song that dives into themes of love and loss, perfectly suited for the evening’s emotional arc.
They closed with their hit, “Best Day of My Life.” A song not about having the perfect day, but about the decision to make it one. Joy will always be a choice and vulnerability can be a superpower. Sometimes, creating space for happiness means closing the curtains on external noise and choosing to live fully, in your own way.
Finally, BØRNS closed out the night with a dazzling, dreamy set that felt like a portal to another world. His music transported the crowd, yet stayed grounded in the night’s unifying theme, of health and healing.
He delivered that with “Honeybee.” A lush, falsetto-filled ode to love. The crowd swayed, visibly moved by its sweetness and sincerity. It was an embrace of sound that stood up to the festival’s message of compassion and emotional openness.
“Honeybee” felt less like a performance and more like a shared confession between artist and audience, a gentle reminder of the beauty in softness.
Beyond the pop sheen, his songs celebrate the connection of being truly seen and felt. Each song moved the audience not just in rhythm, but in shared understanding. BøRNS felt both timeless and on time.
Throughout the evening, between sets and in quiet conversations among strangers, one truth emerged, mental health is not a solitary battle. It’s a shared journey and if we allow it, music can be both the map and the destination.
The Sound Mind Music Festival proved that live music can be more than entertainment. It can be a form of public service.
By choosing the Brooklyn Paramount, the festival tapped into a deep well of historical and cultural significance. A venue once built to usher in a new era of sound has, once again, become a space for progress, unity and inclusion.
Thanks to Sound Mind Live, the movement to break down stigma and build community through music is growing stronger and louder. After the final notes echoed through the grand old theater and the lights dimmed, one thing was certain, the conversation had only just begun.
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