The Collateral Damage of Concert Tours on the Mental Health of Artists

Although the confinement made it necessary to limit live music to virtual formats, after this stage was passed there was a large-scale explosion of concerts. This has generated a recovery in the sector, but it has also had collateral damage, especially among artists who do marathon tours.

Since last year, we have seen how Arlo Parks canceled his tour due to mental health issues. The same thing happened with artists like Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes. Even Santigold explained in a letter that she was canceling her tour due to anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, vertigo and to share more time with his children. In other cases, such as those of Drake or Roger Waters, there is talk of a definitive retirement.

With streaming on the rise, the most attractive factor for artists to obtain more profitability from their musical careers is touring. For this reason, the offer of concerts has increased in the world and many even seek penetration into new audiences. Latin America has proven to be a profitable destination for acts that probably would not have been imagined in the past.

Collateral damage from concert tours

As Santigold put it well, the load that an artist can receive during a concert tour is extensive. Insomnia is almost taken for granted, not to mention fatigue when the public becomes more and more demanding. Spending multiple hours of flight, paying attention to the media, and what it takes to get nervous before a show, have an impact on the physical well-being of each singer and, therefore, have mental repercussions.

With a blunt “I don't want to sleep on a bus”, Miley Cyrus explained why she won't tour with her latest album. On the other hand, Alejandro Sanz told his fans that he was considering canceling his tour due to personal problems. However, he decided to take refuge in the love he receives on tour to overcome the moment he is going through.

Others like Ozzy Osbourne have chosen to cancel tours for physical reasons. In the one he had scheduled for Europe, he stated that he still does not feel well to undergo the routine that a tour entails. This has mental repercussions, since he stressed that he has the voice and the ability to offer an optimal show, but not for the stress of traveling from city to city or from country to country.

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How is it received by the public?

As much as a fan claims to love their favorite artist, they are not entirely willing to have enough empathy to take the other side. One of the most notable examples occurred with Kali Uchis when she tried to cancel her performance in Bogotá because she was not feeling well. She later confirmed the concert, partly forced by the amount of criticism she received from the majority of fans who paid to see her at her show.

In another example of a different nature, it is clear that the siege to which they are exposed as artists also affects them. A notable case was what Bad Bunny experienced in Medellín when after his presentation he wanted to relax in a nightclub and when he left there were hundreds of fans from whom he hopefully got rid of quickly. Miley Cyrus herself lived the same thing in Bogotá when her entourage almost didn't let her car into the hotel.

The role of the industry

The same artists have said that the surplus value of their art basically depends on concert tours. In fact, in the most recent HBO Max series, “The Idol”, the concern of the promoters to sell tickets at any cost and the pressure they exert on the artists to achieve it is represented.

The issue already generates such concern that for this year the publication of "Tours and Mental Health: The Manual of the Music Industry", a book by Tamsin Embleton, became known. The intent of this guide is to offer advice from musicians like Nile Rodgers, psychologists, motivational coaches and mental wellness experts on how to navigate a tour with few hiccups.