THE DISCUSSION
ISOLATED – to be separated from other persons or things; alone; solitary….
The music industry has long been an isolating place for women, being under-represented and undervalued. The Global pandemic has further heightened their sense of isolation from loss of connection to their loved ones to loss of work due to increased childcare and caring responsibilities. Research by the University of Essex in 2020 showed the decline in mental well-being after the onset of Covid 19 was twice as large for women as men whilst the Office for National Statistics reported the highest annual rate of female suicides in the UK since 2004. In the latest of our webinar series, Music Support will host an all-female panel, meeting women in the music industry to discuss the added pressures Lockdown has placed on their already-challenged lives. We will also meet mental health professionals who will offer their expertise on how to cope with feelings of isolation and protect your wellbeing during these uncertain times (and beyond).
THE CHAIR
RACHAEL LANDER, Music Support Trustee and session cellist who has performed everywhere from theatre pits in London’s West End to main stages with George Michael and ELO. Rachael is a recovering alcoholic who got sober at 23 when crippling performance anxiety led to her abusing alcohol and beta-blockers to the point where she could no longer perform. She has been very open about her experience in the media, inspiring fellow musicians dealing with their own struggles.
Follow Rachael on Instagram here.
THE PANEL
DENISE DEVENISH, a counsellor running her own private practice working with musicians and those working in the performing industries. Growing up in the industry, Denise has seen first-hand the unique highs and lows that it can entail and recognises a great need for specialist mental health services. She also works with the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine, Help Musicians UK and Music Support. For further information visit https://www.denisedevenishcounselling.co.uk
EMMA REYNOLDS-TAYLOR, Director of Library Productions Limited. She has 20 years’ experience of Technical and Artist Production and Stage Management for live music events. Emma’s biggest client is Glastonbury festival where she and her team run the Pyramid and Other stages and the large festival hospitality area, ‘Interstage.’ Emma’s other clients include Spotify, Youtube, The Mercury Music Prize Album and Chelsea Football’s Team Player of the Year Awards. She has worked with a vast array of A-list artists ranging from Adele and Metallica to Katy Perry and Kylie Minogue. For further information visit http://libraryproductions.com/
EMILY COOKE, Business Psychologist with Thrive, an NHS approved Mental Wellbeing app. She has a Business Psychologist with a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Organisational Psychology & Psychiatry. In her role at Thrive, Emily works with businesses to develop their approach to employee wellbeing using core psychological principles and mental health expertise. Prior to her masters, Emily spent three years working in talent acquisition in Australia. She has a keen interest in empowering individuals to build self-awareness and resilience skills and developing leadership to promote employee wellbeing. For further information visit www.thrive.uk.com
LUCY SPRAGGAN, Singer/songwriter and X-Factor alumni from the class of 2012, when she was the most googled musician and had the 4th most-watched video in the world. This, along with her tenacious work ethic, has led to Lucy selling out tours across the globe, hitting over 100 million streams and becoming the first woman to headline Kendal Calling festival. She speaks openly about her struggles with mental health, alcohol and substance abuse, most recently through 6th album, ‘Choices’ (that has become her highest charted album to date, recently reaching number 5 in the UK charts). Sober for nearly two years, Lucy has discovered a brand-new side to herself with ‘more mental clarity than ever.’ As if her music career doesn’t keep her busy enough, she is in the final stages of becoming a fully qualified Personal Trainer. For further information visit https://lucyspraggan.com
SKIDDLE: We are proud to partner with Skiddle, the UK’s most innovative primary ticket outlet and largest events guide. To discover more about the challenges and obstacles promoters face they conducted a survey, discovering that the majority feel their mental health and wellbeing is dramatically affected by their work in the events industry.
Thanks to funding from the BRIT Trust, BRIT Awards and partners from the recorded music sector, Music Support is proud to provide FREE access for a limited period to Thrive, the NHS approved mental health app with over 100 hours of content and clinically designed mental health tools, helping you manage stress, anxiety and depression.
