IMRO Music Industry Seminar | Mental Health & Wellbeing Issues Facing Music Creators

While the listener often finds solace from music, it’s not uncommon for the creator of that music to be left alone to wrestle with their demons.

Increasing work pressures and an always-on lifestyle can impact your mental wellbeing no matter what career path you choose.

The music industry isn’t immune to such pressures, but it is welcoming to see that the core underlying issues are being more readily talked about candidly within the industry and in so doing helping to break down the stigma surrounding the discussion of wellbeing and mental health.

This upcoming IMRO seminar, which focuses on the creators perspective, will discuss mental health and wellbeing challenges facing many music creators, explore current research on the topic and assess international best practice with regard to services provided for musicians.

Panel

Joe Hastings – Health & Welfare Manager – Help Musicians UK
Joe oversees all health and welfare activities and is responsible for the development of new support services within the team. He was instrumental in facilitating the delivery of the Musicians Hearing Health Scheme, which to date has had an intake of 4,700 musicians accessing state-of-the-art hearing advice and protection. Joe has recently been busy working alongside colleagues to create and deliver the Music Minds Matter support line, which launched in early December 2017.  Joe is particularly keen on looking to develop services that support healthy careers for musicians. He also composes music for film in his spare time alongside playing various instruments for fun.

Bressie
A musician, mental health advocate, producer, television presenter, songwriter, bestselling author, Niall ‘Bressie’ Breslin defies both stereotypes and categorisation. He is multi-talented and focused, leading a new kind of conversation on mental health and selling out gigs, managing his own recording studio and presenting acclaimed documentaries. A passionate speaker, advocate, writer, musician, sportsman and campaigner, he is a leading voice in contemporary Irish life. As the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist with The Blizzards, who were signed to Universal Music Ireland and Island Records, Bressie ushered in a new appreciation for pop-rock radio hits in Ireland, before the band went on hiatus in 2010. As a solo musician signed to Sony Music, he released two albums, with the second Rage and Romance going to number one in Ireland. Bressie was a coach on the massively successful The Voice Of Ireland television show which aired for 5 seasons, and other television projects have included the documentary series Bressie’s Teenage Kicks.
His social enterprise A Lust For Life is an award-winning national wellbeing movement created to transform how we talk about and treat mental health.
He is co-owner of Camden Recording Studios in Dublin.

Jess Kav
Jess Kav has been a prominent influence in the emerging Soul, Jazz and Funk scenes in Ireland for several years. Jess was raised by an Irish-African mother and Soul enthusiast who fed her a musical-diet of Motown, Jazz and Irish Indie. After studying at London’s Institute of Contemporary music, Jess has focused on recording, as well as gigging extensively with her repertoire of bands that encompass Jazz, Hip Hop, Rock and Funk. Throughout her career, Kav has worked both as a backing vocalist and as a front-person. Currently, she is touring extensively with The Waterboys as a backing vocalist and working with her own band, BARQ in Dublin. Previously, Jess has worked with top international and Irish artists, such as Hozier, Kodaline, The Commitments, Jape and Le Galaxie. Since 2016, Jess has fronted original outfit, BARQ who have achieved significant acclaim nationally and abroad. BARQ have supported the likes of The Coronas, Madeleine Peyroux, Wyvern Lingo, Richie Sambora and Soja. They have also debuted in New York, Toronto and London in 2017. BARQ’s lyrical content and narratives, focusing on self-development, identity and society has given Kav the platform to contribute to discussions facilitating social change. Recently, her story has been exhibited in Ballymun Axis with Mixed Race Ireland’s “I am Irish” exhibition, focusing on people of colour with Irish Identity. Her front cover of Hot Press’ Repeal The Eighth issue was also on display in The National Photographic archives as a part of Hot Press’ cover exhibition.