In an eye-opening session with Complex’s 360 with Speedy series, the music industry was given a rare glimpse into the struggles that even its most illustrious stars face, with Cardi B, the Grammy-award winning artist, laying bare the fears that stifled her once meteoric career trajectory.

For fans and critics alike, the admission was a startling reminder of the toll that fame can exact on mental health.

The “Bodak Yellow“ hitmaker, known for her vibrant personality and unapologetic presence, revealed a more vulnerable side during the interview. Despite her colossal success and legion of fans, Cardi B admitted that the constant barrage of criticism and negative comments on social media platforms had a profound impact on her, to the point where it deterred her from engaging in her craft and even her personal life.

“I just feel like I lost myself with everything,” Cardi B confessed, articulating the pressure that stemmed not only from the public but from within the music industry itself. The expectation to continually produce hits and maintain a certain image seemed to have cornered the 31-year-old artist into a state of apprehension. “A lot of music commenters and everything and a lot of people just be like, ‘She’s afraid to drop an album, she’s afraid to drop music,‘” she recollected, highlighting the narrative that seemed to follow her throughout 2023.

The past year saw Cardi B in a musical hiatus, with the exception of “Bongos,” a collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion. It was a stark contrast to the flurry of singles and her highly acclaimed album Invasion of Privacy in 2018. “Like last year, I barely dropped music,” she noted, expressing how the fear of public scrutiny had paralysed her artistic expression. “It’s just like I was just afraid to do everything.”

Her candid admission sheds light on the often overlooked aspect of celebrity – the intense scrutiny and expectation that can sometimes overshadow the art itself. Cardi B’s experience is a poignant reminder of the real human emotions that operate behind the glitz and glamour, bringing to the fore the conversation on mental health and the pressures of fame.

As the music world digests Cardi B’s heartfelt disclosure, there’s hope that her bravery in sharing her story will not only humanise the celebrity experience but also encourage a more compassionate and understanding interaction in the digital age. For now, fans can only hope that this revelation marks the beginning of a new chapter for Cardi B, one where she finds the strength to reclaim her space in the music industry, unencumbered by fear