this talk: is a conversation about the pressure of being a musician - with Asha Gold
Hi, could you tell our readers a little about yourself and what you do?
Hey, my name’s Asha Gold. I’m a singer-songwriter and musician from London.
What was your journey into your industry?
I’d say my journey was slightly unconventional. I was classically trained in piano and percussion, and played drums in jazz bands before turning my focus to becoming an artist about 18 months ago. I started out with no connections, so began reaching out to anyone and everyone, trying to get my foot in a door or two, whilst writing from my piano at home and figuring out my sound.
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Were there any standout struggles that you faced along the way?
I think the lack of validation was challenging - the constant fear that I wasn’t good enough or I’d never write a better song and so on. It can be quite lonely as an independent artist, and alone time is often when I find myself seeing others’ success and worrying that I’m not enough or doubting myself.
What tools did you develop to cope, or overcome these struggles?
I try to do a 10 minute meditation every day - I definitely notice the difference when I do it consistently. I have more clarity over situations, feel less stressed, and just breathe a bit more slowly and more deeply. The app Headspace is great for this because it’s not an easy skill to learn.
Do you find it difficult to maintain a healthy work / life balance?
I do find it hard to juggle uni work with music whilst keeping up a social life and having downtime… I try to think of every week as £1 to set out my priorities - some weeks it’s 80p music and 20p uni work, other weeks I want to chill out so it’s 50p social, 40p music, and 10p uni.
Do you find that social media has a tangible effect on your mental health?
Yes, before social media I think we were all far less inclined to compare ourselves to others. It’s a highlights reel and I forget that sometimes, but there’s no point comparing your chapter one to somebody else’s chapter seven.
Do you feel like there is a problem surrounding mental wellbeing in your industry?
Definitely. It’s a high-pressure, competitive industry where people are picked up and dropped all the time… And coupled with the importance of social media for building a fanbase and a music career, it can be quite all-consuming and take its toll on your mental health.
If so, how do you feel it could be addressed?
There are some amazing platforms that use the positive side of social media to combat the negative such as Gurlstalk, i-weigh - all of these promote community and kindness, which are often missing in the online space.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in your industry?
Be prepared for the high highs and the low lows, but take in the small wins and don’t forget to breathe in the moment before thinking about the next goal - every email response you get, each gig you learn something new from, a banging chorus you wrote, give yourself some credit and realise not everyone pops off overnight.
What’s your positive corner of social media / the internet?
My most positive experience with the internet so far has been training as a crisis volunteer for Shout UK Crisis Textline. People text in when they find themselves in a state of crisis - many of our texters are depressed, anxious or suicidal. Our team of trained volunteers offer empathy and support, de-escalate the situation, and empower the texter to collaboratively work out some next steps. It’s truly incredible and rewarding as a volunteer to be making a difference within an incredible community, and the 24/7 support is invaluable to so many people who need in the help moment. Many find it less daunting being able to text in too, so that’s a huge positive of this hyper-connected world we live in!