Following the tragic loss of former One Direction band member Liam Payne last week, UK songwriter Guy Chambers has urged the music industry not to work with artists under the age of 18 for fear of serious harm to their mental and physical health.
“I do think putting a 16-year-old in an adult world like that is potentially really damaging,” he says to The Observer. Chambers previously worked with Robbie Williams and saw the effects that sudden fame had on him as a young musician.
Music executive Mike Smith reinforces the sentiment, stating “I am not sure if it is something for legislation, but the longer a young person can postpone a career in music the better.” Smith also mentioned that the industry has improved over time, with a clause introduced into Warner/Chappell artists’ contracts that contributes to mental health support. However, he admitted that the immense pressure on young artists still exists.
Journalist Louis Theroux takes a closer look into the subject with his documentary Boybands Forever, focusing on the danger of such rapid fame. In the BBC series, which releases next month, artists open up about the highs and lows of pop stardom so early in their lives.
