Spotify recently welcomed songwriters, artists, executives, and music students to Nashville for a Mental Health & Songwriter Summit. The event was an extension of our ongoing Heart & Soul, Mental Health for Creators initiative, which offers tools, care, and space to reflect on the emotional side of creative life.
The summit at Belmont University's Fisher Center was held in partnership with Backline and powered by BetterHelp, the world's largest online mental health platform. It brought together nearly 200 members of the songwriting community for a day of conversation, resources, and shared experiences centered on mental health in the music industry.
During the event, Spotify and Backline unveiled Between the Lines, a vital mental health guide for songwriters developed by Backline's clinical team. Blending reflection with practical support, the guide offers songwriters a way to stay grounded, care for their wellbeing, and sustain a meaningful connection to their craft as it grows and changes over time.
Supporting the people behind the songs The music industry is deeply rewarding, but it can also come with long hours, uncertainty, and emotional pressure that isn't always visible. As we've shared through our Heart & Soul work, these realities can shape mental health in ways that are difficult to name, especially for songwriters working behind the scenes.
This summit was designed to meet that moment, bringing the community together not just to talk about challenges, but to share resources and build stronger support systems.
NEXT
A day of conversation and connection The programming kicked off with The Unsung Heroes, a panel exploring the rejection, comparison, and quiet pressures that come with songwriting and song plugging. Moderated by MusicRow's LB Cantrell, the conversation featured Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer Gabe Simon, hit songwriter Emily Weisband, Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston, and Jessi Vaughn Stevenson, founder of Perfect Game Creative.
From there, Christopher O'Reilly, Owner, Remedy Counseling & Wellness, led an interactive session on emotional regulation, giving attendees practical tools they could take into the studio and beyond.
The afternoon's Creativity on Demand panel explored how to live a consistent, balanced, healthy lifestyle while sustaining creative inspiration, pushing back on the idea that one needs to suffer to make great art. Moderated by Debbie Carroll, Executive Director of Belmont's Center for Mental Health in Entertainment, the panel featured Old Dominion s Brad Tursi, singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun, genre-blending artist Breland, and hit songwriter Barry Dean.
The day closed with a fireside chat between songwriter Steph Jones and Spotify's Songwriter and Publisher Partnerships Lead, Alex Tamashunas, for a candid conversation on identity, balance, and creative longevity.
I think it is so deeply important to keep the conversation of mental health an open and honest one, said Jones. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to share my experiences at this event and hear others' as well.
In-person support Local organizations including MusiCares, Porter's Call, Onsite, Family Alliance in Music, and Belmont's Center for Mental Health in Entertainment took to the stage to share the resources they offer for songwriters and spoke directly with those in the room.
Beyond the onstage programming, the summit offered support people could use right away. A dedicated wellness space, curated by Backline and powered by BetterHelp, gave songwriters the opportunity to connect with wellness practitioners and take a moment to rest and reset. Backline provided pathways to ongoing care through their Case Management program, Global Resource Hub, and B-LINE, the music industry's 24/7 crisis and support line, while BetterHelp extended access to continued mental health support beyond the event.
Continuing the work The Nashville summit and launch of Between the Lines is one step in Spotify's broader commitment to supporting the music community, not just in their work, but in their wellbeing. Through Heart & Soul, we'll continue to invest in resources, partnerships, and conversations that help artists, songwriters, and their teams navigate the realities of creative life.
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
09/06/2026
Last month, Spotify hosted PURE FLOWERS LIVE, a special event celebrating the re...
09/06/2026
Last month, RADAR U.K. artist Skye Newman took the stage in East London for a sp...
09/06/2026
Company to cease operating on 30 June 2026
Australian loudspeaker and amplifier manufacturer Wayne Jones Audio have announced that after much consideration,...
09/06/2026
Increases low-end weight and character
The latest plug-in release from Sheffield-based fedDSP aims to offer an all-in-one solution for users in search of mo...
09/06/2026
Introduces AI Studio Assistant, Moises Studio integration & more
Fender Studio have just announced the launch a significant update that brings an array of n...
09/06/2026
The BBC has found its Hercule Poirot.
After Deadline revealed last month that t...
09/06/2026
X-Rite Pantone Launches Offset360 to Modernize Color Control Across Existing Pre...
09/06/2026
09 Jun 2026
VEON Appoints Serkan Ozturk as Chief of Staff & Strategy Officer Dubai and New York, June 9, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital oper...
09/06/2026
Tuesday 9 June 2026
Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, a candid and unfiltered accou...
09/06/2026
Enni Continues to Rely on Arvato Systems - And Will Be Using AEP.EnerS4 Billing Solution
Arvato Systems to implement transformation project for SAP S/4HANA Ut...
09/06/2026
These special programmes will highlight RT 's connection with the Irish diaspora
This year, RT is marking 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland with...
08/06/2026
At Spotify, our commitment to the LGBTQIA community is year-round. Through GLOW, our global music program, we celebrate and amplify the contributions of queer ...
08/06/2026
Get Hands-on With Keyboard & Synth Brands
GearExpo UK wouldn't be complete without some synth action, and we've got some of the industry's most ...
08/06/2026
50 popular in-ear monitoring system profiles added
The latest update for IK Multimedia's headphone-correction system has just arrived, and introduces ca...
08/06/2026
Manny Marroquin signature cans upgraded with SLAM Technology
The flagship model in Audeze's Manny Marroquin Signature Series has just been treated to an...
08/06/2026
Air domain supremacy redefined - New counter UAS, space solutions and directiona...
08/06/2026
he BBC and BritBox have announced that Edward Bluemel (We Might Regret This, My ...
08/06/2026
Plus, 20% off TVs ahead of kick-offMonday 8 June 2026
Sky introduces Real Time...
08/06/2026
FOX Secures Live NFL Game Package in Mexico Starting in Fall 2026 Agreement Features Thursday Night Football, Sunday Games Package, Thanksgiving Day Games, al...
08/06/2026
FOX One, FOX Sports and Indeed Name Austin Franklin and Kevin Akoto as FOX One C...
08/06/2026
Meet us on the show floor
Stand #286310 Discover Nara, the media management tool used by major facilities including Harbor and Molinare.
Nara v2 introduces re...
08/06/2026
L'art de l'Image dans Reflet dans un diamant mort' Une conversation avec le directeur de la photographie Manuel Dacosse, SBC et l' talonneur Pe...
08/06/2026
Embracing today's modern media workflows: FilmLight presents Nara 2.0, with FilmLight API Designed to support the growing demands of today's production ...
08/06/2026
Moderated by Andy Minuth, FilmLight's Colour Workflow Specialist
Wednesday 18 February
6:00pm / Doors open
7:00pm / Presentation in German
8:00pm / Drin...
08/06/2026
Join us on April 14 at 10:00am for a technical roundtable with the Filmlight dev...
08/06/2026
You're invited to FLAPI Classroom The fundamentals of coding and machine-assisted development
These sessions will help you build the skills needed to cre...
08/06/2026
With Sylvain Canaux (St Louis, Paris) and J r me Cloutier (MELS, Montreal)
Wednesday 6 May
Pick your time: 1:00PM / 5:00PM
Note: The presentation will be hel...
08/06/2026
FilmLight, 1107 N El Centro Ave, Los Angeles
Doors open at 3:30pm
Join the FilmLight team on June 9th at 4pm to learn how FilmLight products and APIs can stre...
08/06/2026
The Creators List launched to Help Brands Connect With Top Creators In CannesThe curated directory launched by Tubefilter, Comscore, Whalar Group and Gospel Sta...
08/06/2026
Irish YouTube star DavidMC joins Aisling O'Reilly to tackle all things socce...
07/06/2026
Company introduce 21 new protective covers
Decksaver have just announced their Sping 2026 Drop, which sees a total of 21 new models added to their ever-grow...
07/06/2026
Sunday 7 June 2026
Dynamo Vs Houdini comes to Sky later this year
The last time the world saw Dynamo, he buried himself alive. This weekend, he returned.
Mom...
06/06/2026
Check Out Leading Monitor Brands
We'll have monitors of all shapes and sizes at GearExpo UK, so whether you're looking to upgrade or expand your set...
06/06/2026
Two Originals offerings join MPC line-up
Following on from their partnership announcement at NAMM 2026, Spitfire Audio and Akai Pro have announced the relea...
05/06/2026
Built from the same recordings as flagship library
Sonuscore's LUX Orchestral Strings has been met with widespread praise since its launch in late 2025,...
05/06/2026
High-end converter, interface & headphone amp upgraded
Said to represent the next evolution of RME's all-in-one reference converter concept, the all-new...
05/06/2026
Win a Soundgas Type 636P & Type G preamps
Soundgas, one of the UK's leading vintage and boutique audio equipment specialists have just announced the lau...
05/06/2026
New leadership of Technology Systems Division at Rohde & Schwarz On July 1, 2026, Hansj rg Herrbold and Andreas H gele will take over as Executive Vice Presid...
05/06/2026
Hitachi and Intel announced a strategic collaboration to explore opportunities t...
05/06/2026
05 Jun 2026
VEON's Kyivstar to Expand Digital Mobility Ecosystem with Acqui...
05/06/2026
RT Radio 1 Folk Awards to take place on Tuesday 10th November 2026, Vicar Street, Dublin
Moya Brennan, D nal Lunny, Mary Black and Christy Moore among previou...
04/06/2026
Steinberg DAWs now boast in-depth Tonalic integration
Celemony's innovative virtual session musician plug-in has just received an update that brings ARA...
04/06/2026
Get Hands-On With Over 20 Mic Brands
GearExpo UK is fast approaching, and if you've been looking for a chance to check out some new mics, then you'r...
04/06/2026
Combos feature new Amplifier Intelligence engine
Positive Grid's latest release sees the company introduce two new combo amplifiers that promise to offe...
04/06/2026
BackStory follows four Irish young people as they travel back to their parents' homelands
Modern Irish identity is enriched by cultures and influences from...
03/06/2026
Step sequencer-style panning tool revealed
Alongside their flagship self-titled sound-design platform, Sound Particles offer an array of creative effects an...
Spotify recently welcomed songwriters, artists, executives, and music students to Nashville for a Mental Health & Songwriter Summit. The event was an extension of our ongoing Heart & Soul, Mental Health for Creators initiative, which offers tools, care, and space to reflect on the emotional side of creative life.
