Earlier on May 8th of 2019, music producer Diablo gained attention across the media after posting content that heavily suggested that the 21-year-old Los Angeles based musician wanted to harm himself. The letter posted hours ago on Instagram revealed that Diablo is giving up music and his ambition as a young producer to further pursue his career.
Diablo also wrote in a passage that he would be better off dead and that his music might be more successful if he weren’t alive. He then continued on to say, “I don’t wanna be a puppet to this industry anymore.”
Image Via Diablo’s Official Instagram
Image via Diablo’s Official Instagram
Following the posted content, Diablo was detained in a video posted to his story. The events following Diablo being taken into police custody weren’t distinguished and still appear to be unknown, but left many fans worried and astounded by the breaking news. Many fans and friends of Diablo took to Twitter to show their support.
Image Via Diablo’s Official Twitter
Young producer/DJ Sebastian Baldeon, who goes by Diablo, has worked alongside famous hip hop artists such as, Lil Pump, Kodak Black, Rich the Kid, and Ski Mask the Slump God. In recent past years, Diablo has continued to grow as a producer after initially beginning his music career as a sound cloud rapper.
Diablo’s cry for help isn’t the first one seen in the music industry, but it is becoming more common for artists. From music producing to touring, the pressure is a common obstacle that a majority of artist’s face on a day to day basis. In a recent online survey constructed by Record-Union, 73% of artists in the music industry said they struggle with mental illness related diagnosis such as stress, anxiety and depression in their work. Those ageing between 18-25 in this work field are potentially at a higher risk to fall victim of mental illness with an astounding number of 80% participants in the survey reported experiencing mental illness.
Record Union’s CEO Johan Savenberg addressed the results of the study in a statement, urging change in the music industry’s regards to mental health,
“Our study is telling us that something needs to change. “It’s time to put the state of our artists’ mental health on the agenda, before streams and commercial success. We as an industry must wake up and ask ourselves: What’s our responsibility in this and what can we do to create a healthier music climate?”
This study isn’t the only suggestion that the music industry is an unhealthy environment for artists. More and more artists are speaking out to the public in regards to the emotional mental state their line of work creates.
Justin Bieber spoke out to the media in late March, posting a lengthy detailed explanation on Instagram to his fan that he is parting from music in order to focus on his mental state and since then, Bieber has continued to reflect on his mental health battles through detailed Instagram post passages.
Ariana Grande is another top performer who has exposed the hidden trials of working in the music industry and the mental illness she struggles with. Two years after the Manchester Bombing, almost a year after her ex Mac Miller’s death and just a few months after her breakup with Pete, Ariana has maintained a happy face for her fan base, despite clear indications that she is struggling with mental illness.
Both performers are victims of extreme work hours to maintain a superior public figure and are avid competitors in the music industry. The pressure endured and alone time away from friends and family are contributing factors to one’s poor mental state when it comes to holding the title of a performer.
Neglect and lack of caring by management teams can also lead to the breaking point for performing artists, as they are pressured into work and mentally overlooked. One artist, Avicii, stepped forward in the spotlight to share his experience as an overworked artist with no mental support from his management team.
Before his death, Avicii released a documentary titled, Avicii: True Stories. The film revealed the pressure he was enduring, with a demanding work schedule and a lack of care from his management team. In addition, Avicii reported in the film that his work will: “Kill me.” He cried to his management team for help and he was ultimately pushed aside and this contributed to the loss of his life in a suicide attempt.
The music industry has gained attention in the past, regarding the poor mental environment it creates for artists and performers. Diablo’s cry for help isn’t the first but should be a reminder that change needs to be made in the industry to better aid the mental state for artists.
Featured Image via Insomniac
