Elliot Hilden, managing editor

The very recent death of Liam Payne, famed for his involvement in hit boy band One Direction, has sparked action among fans, hoping to avoid the unfortunate circumstances that lead to his death for other artists. Throughout his career, Payne was very open about his struggles with addiction and agoraphobia. After his death, a fan by the name of Day Kv started a petition that now has over 100,000 signatures, calling for legislative action in the music industry. 

This law, titled “Liam’s Law” by fans, has a few main ideas. It would ensure that labels and managers are held accountable for their part in the mental and physical well-being of their artists. It would also guarantee resources such as therapy and early intervention programs to raise concerns before the worst happens. “It will ensure a healthier, safer, and more conducive working environment for artists to cultivate their talents […] Furthermore, the increasing rate of musicians who die before the age of 35, is concerning,” said Day Kv in the description of the Change.org petition. I believe that the mental health of artists in the music industry is incredibly important, but I can’t help but wonder, why now? 

It’s nothing new for the pressures of fame to get to artists in the industry, but I have never seen the outpour of support and desire for change until Liam Payne. Even earlier this year, artists being open about mental health were met with disdain and pressure to carry on. In an interview with The Guardian, Chappell Roan talked about her severe depression diagnosis, later on canceling performances due to her mental health. Roan has always been incredibly vocal about her struggles with being famous, and how her very sudden rise to fame was overwhelming. Despite this, the general public has continued to hold her to unreasonably high expectations and shames her for not meeting them. 

Another prominent example of this is Taylor Swift. While she’s been on top of the world during her time on her worldwide Eras Tour, she has been vocal in the past about the issues she has faced as a public figure. In her 2020 documentary “Miss Americana,” she talked about how she would overanalyze pictures of herself, which led to restrictive eating and an eventual eating disorder. Even on her recent album “The Tortured Poets Department,” she touched on themes of alcoholism and mental health, which have been recurring imagery in her music for a long time. As her career grows and grows, the expectations grow with it. Since the beginning of her tour, Swift has admitted to never really getting a day off. 

I can’t help but wonder why the cishet white man gets a law, while women, especially queer women, get told that they are ungrateful, need to do it anyway and are crazy — look at Britney Spears’ case for a prime example! The world has so many expectations for women already and I haven’t even scratched the surface. I’m not trying to say that the law shouldn’t happen, as it is so important that there are higher standards for the industry as a whole in its support of artists. I can only hope that this can create a better, safer environment for every performer, not just the men.

Links

https://www.change.org/p/enact-legislation-to-safeguard-artists-mental-health-in-the-entertainment-industry https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/sep/20/fame-is-like-going-through-puberty-chappell-roan-on-sexuality-superstardom-and-the-joy-of-drag