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The first national study on mental health in the Canadian music industry has been released, and nearly all of its participants say that mental health issues are “prevalent” in their line of work.
“Soundcheck: Mental Health in the Canadian Music Industry” surveyed more than 1,250 music professionals through a bilingual survey, focus groups and in-depth interviews. Participants encompassed artists, crew members, managers, venue operators, educators, media professionals, festival staff and executives in an attempt to reach the wider industry and not solely musicians.
The findings are dire: 94 per cent of participants agreed that mental health issues are “prevalent” in the Canadian music industry; 86 per cent have “personally experienced challenges;” and 95 per cent have “witnessed challenges in others.”
Additionally, 53 per cent of respondents have felt that “life wasn’t worth living;” 42 per cent have “wished they were dead;” and 43 per cent have “thought of taking their own lives.”
“This is not about fragility,” said Catherine Harrison, lead researcher on the study and president of Revelios, which both ran the study and provided funding for it. “It’s about systems. When over half of respondents have felt life wasn’t worth living, we are no longer talking about isolated burnout — we are looking at structural harm. The Canadian music industry must confront how work is organized, led and supported.”
Musicians announcing breaks for their mental health has become increasingly common in recent years. Justin Bieber surprised fans almost a decade ago when he famously cancelled the final concerts on his 2017 Purpose tour because he wanted his “mind, heart and soul to be sustainable.” But once the pandemic hit, more artists followed suit: in 2022, Shawn Mendes cancelled the end of his tour, saying he needed to “take the time I’ve never taken personally to ground myself and come back stronger;” Orville Peck postponed his Bronco tour in 2023, saying his “current mental and physical health won’t allow me to bring you my best;” and as recently as last month, Demi Lovato pushed back her tour to “protect” her health.
But postponing a tour and taking time off to recover isn’t a luxury the average musician or music industry person can afford.
‘Very validating’
The call for mental health support has been coming from inside the house for some time. Alex Johnson, executive director of Unison Fund, a non-profit that provides phone counselling and financial assistance to members of the Canadian music industry that was also a promotional partner for the survey, said none of the results surprised her but they were “very validating.”
“It really brought to life in numbers some of the things that anecdotally I had witnessed in meeting with our community and working for music workers,” she explained. She added that the industry hasn’t recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, and added financial precarity and stress is still felt from that time.
“I think a lot of Canadians would be shocked to know that their favourite artist — like the person who wrote the song that they sing to their kids at night, or that played at their first dance at their wedding — their favourite artist might be struggling this much.”
WATCH | Catherine Harrison presents the preliminary results of the survey:
Juno-nominated singer-songwriter Amanda Walther was one of the Soundcheck study participants, and said she was immediately interested in the study when she heard about it.
“As a full-time musician for 20-plus years, I have had many experiences within our industry that felt unsafe, unprofessional and unbalanced,” she said via email. “There are no central bodies to protect us when the work environment is unhealthy, and the entire system seems to be set up to assist companies in making profits rather than the day-to-day experience of being an artist. I felt like this study was long overdue.”
Walther said she has created her own work practices to protect herself, but she still struggles to uphold those boundaries. “This industry’s expectations of artists are unsustainable, unrealistic and, frankly, unhealthy,” she said.
I think a strong, united, healthy Canada needs to be doubling down on its arts funding right now.- Alex Johnson, executive director of Unison Fund
With the release of this first national study, Unison’s Johnson believes it will finally provide a baseline to create the systemic supports that are so needed in the industry, including the possibility of paid sick leave, benefits and security for a population of artists who are getting older. She has already had conversations with labels and agents who have read the study, and want to support their artists.
It will all cost money, though, and arts funding at varying levels of government is seeing cuts. But Johnson cites a “proven connection” between healthy arts sectors and healthy communities as the reason to find a budget for the “multi-billion dollar economic driver” that is the music industry.
“I think a strong, united, healthy Canada needs to be doubling down on its arts funding right now,” she said. “Not just for the wellness of our artists or the wellness of our music workers, but for the wellness of our nation and for the unity of Canada.”
Need help? Here are some national mental health resources: