Forcing Smiles is the American indie folk artist name of singer-songwriter Brian Michael Jost who released his debut solo album “Making Room” in September 2024. “Making Room” contains 13 songs (previously heard in unfinished form in podcast episode 9), seven of which were written in January 2009 during one of Jost’s deep depressive episodes. Surviving suicidal ideation and other mental health struggles are some of the obvious topics heard in Making Room.
Realizing that there is already another “Brian Jost” musician already publishing music somewhere in the world, an artist name was needed. Brian thought of the name “Forcing Smiles” while reviewing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills (or techniques), specifically the skill known as “Half-Smile,” an ancient technique borrowed from Buddhism which involves upturning the lips very slightly (for ten minutes, suggested by some) which can help a person to feel joy even during a depressive episode.
