The Music & Mental Health roundtable at BMIM Special on 28 May 2025 was everything you hope a panel conversation could be: open, honest, reflective, and surprisingly practical. Guided by moderator Maxine Penney, the session gathered composers, a music producer, and an emerging professional to speak candidly about the mental health realities of working in music today.
What started as a conversation about burnout quickly unfolded into a deep exchange about boundaries, isolation, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and the pressure to keep creating in a fast-paced industry. But it wasn’t all heavy. Alongside the struggles came actionable tips, a lot of nods of recognition, and a shared sense of ‘we’re not alone.’
Passion vs. Burnout
One of the most resonant themes was how creative passion, when unmanaged, can quietly lead to burnout. Participants shared their tools for setting healthier rhythms:
- Create boundaries around work hours and output.
- Practice the 7 types of rest (yes, creative rest counts!).
- Take walking breaks away from the studio.
- Pair social connection with work goals (coffee chats count as progress!).
- Build accountability partnerships with other creators.
Breaking Isolation
Especially post-COVID, feelings of isolation remain high in music. Many composers work alone for long hours, riding emotional highs and lows without much support. The remedy? Find your people, set up regular check-ins (even 5 minutes helps), ask a friend to be an accountability partner, and normalize asking ‘How are you?’ in creative spaces.
As one producer shared: when someone asks that question in the studio, it turns the space into a ‘producer’s couch’: a place where support begins.
Perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome & Pressure
The group tackled familiar creative hurdles:
- Imposter syndrome isn’t just for beginners. Even seasoned pros feel it.
- Perfectionism often leads to paralysis. A ‘finished folder’ can help celebrate progress
- Industry pressure to always be producing can tie output to self-worth. Setting small, achievable goals (like an “achievement jar”) helps reframe that.
- Rejection? It’s redirection.
Two quotes that stood out
Your body IS your business.
It takes a village. Let’s support each other.
Looking Forward
Mental health in music isn’t a personal issue; it’s an industry one. The session made it clear that community care, peer support, and honest dialogue are essential if we want artists to thrive, not just survive.
The invitation now is to keep the conversation going: Share this with a peer. Maxine Penney:
Because in music, as in life, no one does it alone.
Text by Meike Jentjens
Photos by Birgit Bijl