Surviving the Struggle: Mental Health as a Young Musician Trying to Find Their Feet

Being a musician is supposed to be a dream—the big stage, the roaring applause, the moment you finally “make it”. But what nobody tells you is that before any of that happens, there’s a different kind of reality: the grind, the exhaustion, the constant self-doubt.

I know, because I was there.

London, My 20s, and the Struggle to Be Heard

Picture this: I’m in my early 20s, living in London, drowning in a sea of other musicians all trying to do the same thing—get noticed, get booked, get paid (or at least get a gig that isn’t just “exposure”).

By day, I worked full-time to survive. By night, I was in the studio, at open mics, hustling to be seen in an industry that barely looked my way.

🎹 There were days I was running on no sleep, trying to balance work with music, forcing creativity out of exhaustion.

🎹 There were gigs where no one listened, just an audience of people staring at their drinks while I poured my soul into a song.

🎹 There were moments where I thought, ‘What’s the point?’—when rejections stacked up, when money was tight, when the dream felt impossibly far away.

And worst of all? No one warns you how much this lifestyle affects your mental health.

The Silent Struggle of Young Musicians

Being a new musician isn’t just about learning the industry—it’s about learning how to protect yourself from the mental and emotional toll of it all.

💡 You constantly compare yourself to others. “They got signed. They went viral. What am I doing wrong?”

💡 You feel like you're screaming into the void. Making music is deeply personal, and when no one seems to care, it can feel soul-crushing.

💡 You burn out before you even begin. The pressure to create, promote, network, and stay relevant is overwhelming.

And if you’re LGBT+ or from an underrepresented background? The industry feels even more closed off, even more impossible to crack.

What I Wish I Knew Back Then

If I could go back and talk to my younger self—exhausted, broke, running between work shifts and gigs—I’d tell him:

1️⃣ You don’t have to do everything at once. Hustle culture is overrated. Pace yourself, or you’ll burn out before you even start.

2️⃣ Comparison is a trap. Everyone’s path is different. Someone else’s success doesn’t mean you’re failing.

3️⃣ Protect your passion. When music becomes only about survival, you risk losing the love that made you start in the first place.

4️⃣ Mental health comes first. Always. Take breaks. Step back when you need to. The music will still be there when you’re ready.

5️⃣ Your time will come. Even when it feels like you’re getting nowhere, every song, every show, every late night is part of the story.

Final Thought:

Being a young musician means walking a tightrope between passion and survival. It’s not easy. It never was. But if you can protect your mental health, keep your love for music alive, and learn to weather the storm, you’ll get there.

I did. And so can you. 🎶✨