Peking Duk’s Reuben Styles gets real about suicide prevention with new EP and Mullets for Mental Health team

Reuben Styles nominates his mullet inspo as he preps new side project EP and launches his Team Y.O.G.A to raise funds for suicide prevention and mental health research.

Peking Duk party starter Reuben Styles has spent half his life trying to come to terms with the suicide of one of his best mates when they were 17.

So when he and his musical partner Adam Hyde decided they would take time out for solo projects, Styles dedicated his You’re Only Great Always (Y.O.G.A.) side hustle to opening up the national conversation about mental health and suicide prevention.

As he launches his new You’re Only Great Always II EP, Styles said he wants to see an end to the “harden-up” attitude in Australia.

Peking Duk's Reuben Styles has dedicated his Y.O.G.A. side project to opening up about mental health. Picture: Richard Dobson

Styles’ new spaghetti western meets French film noir songs including the EP’s latest single See It In Your Eyes get real about his emotional and mental health struggles.

“I lost one of my best friends to depression when I was 17 and I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out – and I probably never will – why I lost him,” Styles said.

“I think the intergenerational ‘harden up’ attitude is really not healthy for anyone and creates the situation where people can’t tell their workmates they are seeing a therapist or that they’re not feeling great.

“One of my mates who was on a job site recently told his workmates he was suffering from depression and anxiety and he just got told to drink some concrete and harden up, to put a smile on his dial, and that didn’t help the problem, it made it much worse.”

To launch the EP, he is forming a team for the Mullets for Mental Health challenge in September, the Black Dog Institute campaign which kicked off last year just in time to capitalise on the Covid coiffure du jour.

Styles said he wanted to support research into suicide prevention and early intervention for people suffering a mental health crises.

And it gives him another excuse not to cut his particularly fetching existing mullet.

Rohan Browning sported a lustrous mullet mane in Tokyo. Picture: Alex Coppel

Josh Papalii’s mullet is world class. Picture: NRL

“Mullets for Mental Health started last year and it just exploded. The Black Dog Institute was getting calls from school principals saying it wasn’t OK to encourage children to rock up to private schools with mullets,” Styles said laughing.

“I have always called mine a mullay. I’m still not sure which one I am going to do in September, whether it will be the Skullet, or the Bowie or the classic Aussie 80s mullet that comes with the handlebar moustache.

“Last year I started with the Joe Exotic.”

The Mullet Queen Miley Cyrus. Picture: Supplied

Styles said aspiring mullet wearers have plenty of inspiration from our sports men from the classic Dennis Lillee to current king Olympics sprinter Rohan Browning. And about 50 per cent of AFL players in 2021.

For women, Miley Cyrus is the 2021 style icon.

“My No. 1 pick at the moment is Canberra Raiders player Josh Papalii, who has a filthy mullet and it’s just the greatest,” he said.

“It’s a bit cliche of me to say Bowie has to jump in on this list because he is the Mullet Lord, from Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust.

“And there’s Rhyan Grant from soccer.”

You’re Only Great Always is released on September 24 and you can register to join Team Y.O.G.A for Mullets for Mental Health at the Black Dog Institute.

IF YOU NEED HELP PLEASE CALL:

Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14 (available 24/7)

Text 0477 13 11 14

Chat online: lifelife.org.au (7pm-midnight)

Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800

Kidshelpline.com.au

Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636 (available 24/7)