If artists like Benga , Blasterjaxx , Nicky Romero and deadmau5 all helped bring the topic of anxiety and depression among DJs and producers into the spotlight last year, the latter announcement from Avicii—that he would be retiring from the touring circuit —has kept the issue in the spotlight this year.
The more it is explored, seemingly more important details bubble to the surface, and this week UK public broadcaster the BBC has entered the discussion with an in-depth report.
“The idea that DJs and electronic artists may suffer mental health difficulties as a result of their work is an idea that should, to any critical thinker, be obvious,” the report begins, emphasizing that by its very definition, the DJ/producer profession is fraught with potential pitfalls.
“Nocturnal hours, unhealthy touring schedules, fickle fans, job insecurity, a culture of drink and drugs… not to mention the many solitary hours in front of a computer. The inherent risks to wellbeing are clear,“ the report says.
To try and understand the different factors that can lead to mental health issues for DJ/producers, the BBCspoke to a number of different parties, including two academics from the University of Westminster , both who formerly worked in the music industry and now lead Music and Depression , academia’s first in-depth study on the relationship between music and mental health.
However, some of the deepest insights come courtesy of Neil Barnes—from seminal UK dance act Leftfield —who has suffered from depression during his two decades of involvement in dance music. He confirms that these stemmed primarily from a low sense of self worth.
“People come up to me, and they’re so invested in the music I’ve made… I feel a great deal of responsibility for that. I’ve never, ever felt that what I do is more important than anything anyone else does. I suppose in that way, I’m actually fortunate... I’ve only just begun to realise how important what I do is for other people and how to accept that.”
Otherwise, the hyper competition of the current dance scene, coupled with the oft-hypercritical nature of social media, is pointed to as a dangerous mix. This combines with an environment where the music itself often isn’t generating a lot of revenue, leading to exhaustive touring.
Check out “We Need to Talk About DJs & Depression” over at the BBC for the full report.
