Zürcher Nachrichten - Music industry wakes up to mental health crisis

EUR -
AED 4.297386
AFN 80.467794
ALL 97.872991
AMD 449.276016
ANG 2.093835
AOA 1072.87855
ARS 1467.774
AUD 1.79417
AWG 2.105977
AZN 1.99308
BAM 1.95526
BBD 2.362148
BDT 142.610645
BGN 1.95341
BHD 0.441082
BIF 3485.738063
BMD 1.169987
BND 1.498686
BOB 8.083769
BRL 6.389882
BSD 1.170177
BTN 100.206347
BWP 15.630686
BYN 3.828643
BYR 22931.747673
BZD 2.349951
CAD 1.603134
CDF 3376.582946
CHF 0.932365
CLF 0.028717
CLP 1101.998998
CNY 8.393546
CNH 8.406738
COP 4735.253796
CRC 590.037171
CUC 1.169987
CUP 31.004659
CVE 110.234579
CZK 24.625904
DJF 208.332508
DKK 7.460961
DOP 70.150641
DZD 151.929827
EGP 57.984618
ERN 17.549807
ETB 162.324104
FJD 2.632178
FKP 0.862008
GBP 0.861461
GEL 3.170538
GGP 0.862008
GHS 12.196634
GIP 0.862008
GMD 83.658829
GNF 10152.198363
GTQ 8.991519
GYD 244.652485
HKD 9.184381
HNL 30.591558
HRK 7.536123
HTG 153.547626
HUF 400.232743
IDR 19026.213647
ILS 3.896431
IMP 0.862008
INR 100.28843
IQD 1532.577065
IRR 49285.708304
ISK 143.592463
JEP 0.862008
JMD 187.01839
JOD 0.829496
JPY 171.614881
KES 151.302566
KGS 102.315607
KHR 4697.703605
KMF 491.981368
KPW 1052.96269
KRW 1610.124358
KWD 0.357431
KYD 0.974931
KZT 606.702572
LAK 25207.043774
LBP 104823.272594
LKR 351.71294
LRD 234.565269
LSL 20.853045
LTL 3.454667
LVL 0.707714
LYD 6.327254
MAD 10.536492
MDL 19.829528
MGA 5178.570903
MKD 61.560368
MMK 2456.396613
MNT 4198.568016
MOP 9.45949
MRU 46.609138
MUR 52.988436
MVR 18.008171
MWK 2028.640169
MXN 21.750529
MYR 4.973033
MZN 74.832044
NAD 20.853045
NGN 1791.413783
NIO 43.04812
NOK 11.832671
NPR 160.329755
NZD 1.954352
OMR 0.449862
PAB 1.169877
PEN 4.153154
PGK 4.907646
PHP 66.185592
PKR 332.690889
PLN 4.239363
PYG 9067.497701
QAR 4.265823
RON 5.07751
RSD 117.146123
RUB 91.553884
RWF 1690.533474
SAR 4.388258
SBD 9.754094
SCR 17.167074
SDG 702.586203
SEK 11.164573
SGD 1.49914
SHP 0.919426
SLE 26.319802
SLL 24534.049329
SOS 668.615486
SRD 43.668022
STD 24216.371317
SVC 10.236175
SYP 15212.324544
SZL 20.852246
THB 38.284904
TJS 11.318776
TMT 4.106655
TND 3.421656
TOP 2.740225
TRY 46.847337
TTD 7.943808
TWD 34.138818
TZS 3074.142413
UAH 48.899605
UGX 4199.840997
USD 1.169987
UYU 47.326939
UZS 14871.895898
VES 131.375283
VND 30582.293491
VUV 139.584055
WST 3.221398
XAF 655.77603
XAG 0.032055
XAU 0.000356
XCD 3.161949
XDR 0.814409
XOF 655.77603
XPF 119.331742
YER 282.961125
ZAR 20.869148
ZMK 10531.287412
ZMW 28.458147
ZWL 376.735377
  • CMSC

    0.0900

    22.314

    +0.4%

  • CMSD

    0.0250

    22.285

    +0.11%

  • RBGPF

    0.0000

    69.04

    0%

  • SCS

    0.0400

    10.74

    +0.37%

  • RELX

    0.0300

    53

    +0.06%

  • RIO

    -0.1400

    59.33

    -0.24%

  • GSK

    0.1300

    41.45

    +0.31%

  • NGG

    0.2700

    71.48

    +0.38%

  • BP

    0.1750

    30.4

    +0.58%

  • BTI

    0.7150

    48.215

    +1.48%

  • BCC

    0.7900

    91.02

    +0.87%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.13

    +0.15%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    9.85

    +0.1%

  • BCE

    -0.0600

    22.445

    -0.27%

  • RYCEF

    0.1000

    12

    +0.83%

  • AZN

    -0.1200

    73.71

    -0.16%

Music industry wakes up to mental health crisis
Music industry wakes up to mental health crisis

Music industry wakes up to mental health crisis

It was a highly original way to drop a new track: live in the studio on France's evening news, Belgian star Stromae answered a question by launching into "L'enfer" ("Hell").

Text size:

A cleverly choreographed moment for the millions-selling rapper, but also fitting as a news item since they had been discussing the dark side of the music industry.

"I've considered suicide a few times, And I'm not proud of it," he sang. "Sometimes you feel it'd be the only way to silence them, All these thoughts putting me through hеll."

Mental health problems are hardly new in music, as the experiences of Kurt Cobain, Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys and Ian Curtis of Joy Division make clear.

But while romanticised ideas about "tortured artists" often left vulnerable musicians feeling trapped with their problems, a new generation hopes that open discussion and support can stop them turning into a death sentence.

Stars like Stromae, Adele and Billie Eilish are credited with dismantling the taboos around discussing mental illness.

And a shocking spate of suicides between 2017 and 2019 -- including dance star Avicii, The Prodigy's Keith Flint, Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and Linkin Park's Chester Bennington -- were a major wake-up call.

"All those names died within a three-year period," said Rhian Jones, a British journalist who has written a book to help musicians, "Sound Advice".

"The industry can no longer absolve itself of responsibility for the health of its artists, or deny the existence of the specific pressures that come with a career in music."

- Depressing numbers -

Several studies have lately highlighted that music professionals suffer psychological distress far above average rates.

France's INSAART, which supports artists and technicians, found that 72 percent showed signs of depression against 12 percent of the general population, while an Australian study said a musical career wiped an average of 20 years off lifespans.

This can be partly due to artistic temperament, but factors like job insecurity, relentless touring, late nights and the ready availability of drink and drugs are often the deciding factors.

"Because music is seen as a passion-job, there is this idea that they have to be grateful and never complain," said psychologist and former artist manager Sophie Bellet, who helped conduct the INSAART study.

Irma, a Cameroon-born singer based in France, said it was when the action stopped that things were hardest.

"A tour is an extraordinary life, a cocoon. Coming home is complicated," she told AFP in 2019.

"When the tour stops, you say to yourself 'What am I here for?' In the middle of all your instruments, you're lost. This life isn't real," she added.

- 'Pressure, judgement, criticism' -

Meanwhile, even as awareness improves, a newer threat has exploded in the form of social media.

"Being in the industry, especially if you are lucky enough to be successful, brings a lot of attention, pressure, judgement and criticism," said Frank Turner, the British singer-songwriter, who addresses his own problems with mental illness and addiction head-on with the recent single "Haven't Been Doing So Well".

"I had a moment around the release of my 2019 album 'No Man's Land' where the pile-on on social media got so intense that I seriously debated giving up."

The industry is belatedly taking action.

Labels are finally thinking about preparing their stars for the pressures of a career in the limelight ("We can't have all our artists die," as one executive told Rolling Stone).

A number of charitable groups, such as Britain's Help Musicians and Backline in the US, provide invaluable advice and support, including drop-in sites at festivals.

But more is needed, especially as Covid restrictions ease.

"It would be tempting for managers and agents to jam-pack diaries with lots of shows in order to make up for the loss," said Jones. "But we know that a heavy touring schedule... is a potential disaster from a health perspective."

F.E.Ackermann--NZN