After Liam Payne’s Death, the Music Industry Must Examine Its Treatment of Young Artists (Guest Column)

variety.com:

Lucy Heyman is a performance health and psychology coach; Rhian Jones is a freelance music writer. They collaborated on the 2021 book “Sound Advice: The Ultimate Guide to a Healthy and Successful Career in Music,” which has an updated, international edition publishing on Nov.

14. Variety welcomes responsible commentary — contact music@variety.com if interested. The tragic death of One Direction member Liam Payne at the age of just 31 has once again sparked discussion around the pressures of the music business and its impact on performers, particularly young ones.

Katie Waissel, Payne’s fellow contestant on “The X Factor” — the British television competition where One Direction formed in 2010 — said his death “serves as a painful reminder of the systemic neglect that persists” in the music industry, where the focus remains on profits rather than looking after the people who work within it. “The negligence of duty of care has once again led to a heart-wrenching loss,” she wrote.

Social media has dramatically intensified the pressures of fame, delivering an unnatural level of adoration as well as vicious criticism within seconds.