Jehnny Beth has written about ongoing mental health issues in the music industry and her hopes for younger artists to resist “age-old patriarchal abuse”.
The Savages frontwoman and soloist, who last week released a collaborative album with Primal Scream‘s Bobby Gillespie, posted a video of herself holding a burning stick as a symbol of shining “a light” on the state of the industry.
“Today I want to shine a light on mental health issues in the music industry, because it doesn’t happen just in pop world but in the indie world too,” she began.
“I know a lot of musicians who struggle to be heard and respected, even in 2021, one can still find oneself face to face with the inevitable attitude and language of the oppressor. It can be a very unempathetic industry, Rocknroll capitalism emphasises power abuses, turns artists against artists, pushes them to consider a number of streams or listeners before friendship & art, or themselves.”
“We’ve witnessed the casualties of those age-old patriarchal abuse many times, on everyone, and yet they are still widely spread in the fabric of our community.”
The French singer went on to write that she hopes younger generations will be able to break free of such restraints.
“My hope goes to the young generation, for understanding there’s no need for those aggressive and dominant rapport, and wanting to work in a sain [sic] environment.”
Beth encouraged both those inside and outside of the music industry to share their experiences. Garbage were quick to do so, writing that they could talk about such issues “for hours”.
“It drove me and my whole band round the bend. We had to just stop the bus and get off for a while for fear we would go mad,” wrote one Garbage bandmember.
For help and advice on mental health:
- ‘Am I depressed?‘ – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
- Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
- Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
- YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably for young men
- Time To Change – Let’s end mental health discrimination
- The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day
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