FEATURE:
How I’m Feeling Now
IN THIS PHOTO: Lewis Capaldi recently announced a break from touring to focus on his mental health
got me thinking about all the challenges and difficulties artists face today. Back on 3rd November, Music Week published an interview with Rough Trade's Lawrence Montgomery on International Stress Awareness Week. He addressed artists' wellbeing. I think a combination of things contributes to mental health struggles. There is that financial side of things. Artists not being able to make enough to live in many cases. Struggling to even break even a lot of times. There is also the pressure to be on social media and get the music to as many people as possible. This, coupled with the fact that the music industry is so competitive and it can be hard to keep optimistic and visible, it is no wonder some new findings are quite stark:
“Preserving mental health can prove challenging in the music industry, with artists up to three times more likely to suffer from depression and other mental struggles, particularly indie performers.
A study found that 73% of independent musicians have experienced mental illness. But why is this the case? And what can artists and the industry alike do to change this?
Here, Lawrence Montgomery, MD at Rough Trade, shares insights on protecting the mental health of musicians including five steps to make improvements…
Why is mental health a problem in the music industry?
The music sector comes with its own set of unique pressures that can become a source of poor mental health in smaller artists.
Financial strain is one of the most significant stressors that can contribute to poor mental health, and it’s hardly surprising, with a recent report revealing that nearly half of the UK’s working musicians earn less than £14,000 per year from a full-time music career and 17% of artists reportedly in debt.
PHOTO CREDIT: Sebastian Ervi/Pexels
This requires many to find additional sources of income, often in the form of a second job, which results in long working days that can ultimately lead to physical and emotional exhaustion.
Pressure is also added to by the unpredictable nature of the industry, as a lack of job stability can weigh heavily on the minds of independent musicians looking for long-term success in music.
A lack of job stability can weigh heavily on the minds of independent musicians looking for long-term success in music
Lawrence Montgomery
Additionally, constant performing and touring can take its toll on emotional wellbeing, as inconsistent sleep, poor diet, and extensive time away from home can collectively damage mental health.
Collectively, these problems can result in declining mental health among artists and is likely a pivotal reason why as many as 64% of musicians consider quitting the industry.
What can the industry do to change this?
Globally, more needs to be done to solve these problems and reduce poor mental health rates in the music sector.
Labels, executives, managers, and agents should proactively work with health organisations to better understand the factors influencing musician’s mental health and the best ways to support them.
For example, Rough Trade is working with CALM to promote awareness of mental health struggles and break the stigma surrounding them.
Access to mental health services and platforms that provide counselling services can help artists feel supported.
Artists should also be provided with more autonomy over their contracts and finance negotiations, as independent musicians – who make up 40% of the music industry – often have little say, which can leave them without adequate income.
How can artists prioritise and protect their mental health?
Although more must be done in the industry to protect the mental wellbeing of artists, musicians must also take steps to prepare for and overcome unavoidable stresses.
Here are some ways that artists can protect their emotional wellbeing…
1 Establish a support system
Musicians should lean on friends and family who understand the industry’s challenges and lean on them for emotional support.
Connect with fellow music industry professionals by joining local or online communities where they can share experiences with like-minded individuals.
2 Set realistic goals and manage expectations
Set clear and realistic short and long-term goals to reduce feelings of failure from aiming for unrealistic targets.
It’s also important to celebrate small wins to boost positivity and mental health and recognise that success can take time in the music industry.
3 Take time to rest
Establishing a routine is key. Structuring time to include dedicated work and rest hours is a great way to minimise stress and create a work-life balance.
Enough sleep, a balanced diet, regular exercise, and setting strict boundaries will help maintain a healthy mindset and prevent burnout.
PHOTO CREDIT: RF._.studio/Pexels
4 Don’t compare yourself to others
In a digital age, it’s easy to compare yourself to others on social media. But remember, not everything online is true or realistic, and excessive comparison can be hugely detrimental to mental health.
Limit time on social media and focus on yourself and your own goals.
5 Be kind to yourself
Music is one of the toughest careers to pursue and it can be easy to forget your successes in the face of failure.
Remember that success takes time to build and requires a huge amount of time, effort, and sacrifice to achieve. Setbacks and rejections are part of the process”.
It is positive that there are ways to try to manage mental health. Whilst live music itself eases mental health for so many, it is often the artists providing catharsis and relief that suffer badly from mental health struggles. The Music Minds Matter charity offers support and advice for those in the music industry. At such a very stressful, strange and brutal time in the world, now more than ever, the mental wellbeing of artists is paramount. Those who are responsible for producing music that connects and lifts us should be supported. I think a lot of the bleakness you see with those statistics above comes down to the economy. The fact that artists cannot make enough money. With the cost of living being so high, many are also not making enough to ensure that they can pay rent and afford to eat and live healthy. Many incur debt. This only adds to the stress and struggle. If major artists like Lewis Capaldi have recently taken time out to prioritise their mental health and find some space and rest, smaller artists might not have that option. In recent years, a range of artists have opened up about their mental health. Helping to destigmatise the subject, Billboard collected together quotes from artists who have spoken about their experiences:
“Ariana Grande
“I know those families and my fans, and everyone there experienced a tremendous amount of it as well. Time is the biggest thing. I feel like I shouldn’t even be talking about my own experience — like I shouldn’t even say anything. I don’t think I’ll ever know how to talk about it and not cry,” the pop star told British Vogue about suffering from PTSD after more than 20 people were killed in a bombing during one of her 2017 shows. “I’ve always had anxiety. I’ve never really spoken about it because I thought everyone had it, but when I got home from tour it was the most severe I think it’s ever been.”
Grande also spoke out May 2, 2021, in the hopes of ending the stigma surrounding mental health. “Here’s to ending the stigma around mental health and normalizing asking for help,” Grande captioned a mini gallery of text slides, which included numerous resources. “Healing isn’t linear, fun, quick or at all easy but we are here and we’ve got to commit to making this time as healthy, peaceful and beautiful as possible. the work is so hard but we are capable and worth it. sending so much love and strength.”
Billie Eilish
The young superstar might be on top of the world professionally, but her newfound fame led to depression and suicidal thoughts, she told Gayle King ahead of the 2020 Grammy Awards. “I was so unhappy last year … I was so unhappy and I was so, like, joyless. I didn’t ever think I would be happy again, ever,” she said. “I don’t want to be too dark, but I genuinely didn’t think I would, like, make it to, like, 17.”
Charli XCX
While promoting her self-titled third album in 2019, the singer-songwriter opened up about her mental health. “[I go into] my thoughts and feelings about my mental state and what life is supposed to be as an artist, my depression, and my insecurities,” she told SPIN about using her music to candidly explore her mental health, and how that has impacted her record. “I’m being more honest than ever before. It’s been very therapeutic.”
Halsey
The artist shared in Billboard’s March 2016 cover story that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while in high school, and spent weeks in a psychiatric hospital her senior year. “I had tried to kill myself,” said Halsey, who is also a mental health advocate. “I was an adolescent; I didn’t know what I was doing. Because I was 17, I was still in a children’s ward, which was terrifying.”
In May 2020, the “I Am Not a Woman, I’m a God” singer participated in YouTube’s Artist Spotlight Stories, during which she did a deep dive with Dr. Snehi Kapur for Mental Health Awareness Month. During the discussion, the Grammy nominee also shared her mantra: “Achieving mental health doesn’t happen. Mental health isn’t a destination. You never arrive at mental healthy and go, ‘OK, I’m glad I got here.'”
She has also been outspoken for people to be more understanding of those who struggle with mental health issues. In July 2020, she tweeted: “I have dedicated my career to offering education and insight about bipolar disorder and I’m so disturbed by what I’m seeing. Personal opinions about someone aside, a manic episode isn’t a joke. If you can’t offer understanding or sympathy, offer your silence.”
James Blake
“It’s especially easy to poke fun at the idea that a white man could be depressed. I have done it myself, as a straight white man who was depressed. In fact, I still carry the shame of having been a straight white man who’s depressed and has experienced suicidal thoughts,” the artist wrote in an essay in It’s Not OK to Feel Blue (and Other Lies). “I also believe everybody is entitled to pain, no matter how perceptibly or relatively small that pain is. I don’t want the shame around depression and anxiety in privileged people to become worse any more than I want it for the marginalized”.
I think that we all owe artists so much. They have been so important to all of us. It is a tough industry to survive in, let alone flourish! With it being incredibly difficult for so many artists to make money and sustain a career, we are seeing a wave of mental health issues. A crisis that is impacting the industry, the fact that awareness is being raised is a good thing. With money and its stresses causing a lot of damage, there does need to be some sort of intervention and assistance from wider afield. So many venues are closing down. Streaming sites not paying artists enough. The cost of living maybe mean fewer people can go to gigs or buy merchandise. There are so many artists coming through, often there is so much competition for spaces – and, with venues closing, more people are vying for fewer spaces. It is a really bad time if you want to succeed as an artist. That sounds bleak, though there are shoots of light and promise. In the second mention in as many weeks, Touring and Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual provides invaluable guidance and advice. Not only does mental health struggle need to be normalised and fully accepted. I feel there does need to be more financial and therapeutic aid for those in the music industry. Such a tough field to survive in, it is devastating when we have to loss artists. That talent leaving the industry is really notable and heartbreaking! There are, as we saw from that article/interview at the start of this feature, ways the industry and artists can help. It will not solve all the issues like finances and earnings, though there are steps that can be taken to ensure that there is adequate support and awareness. It is only fair that so much is given to the artists and those in the music industry who…
GIVE so much to us.