Kendall Corso - Co-Founder and COO of Backline, A Holistic Approach to Mental Health for Touring and Festival Personnel

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

For many years, discussions around mental health, especially depression, anxiety, fatigue, burnout, and addiction, were things we didn’t talk about in the music industry. They were looked at as signs of weakness. You’re only tough if you can work 12-16 hour days, five to seven days a week. The problem with doing that is that something else suffers when so much of your time is dedicated to one thing, especially if that one thing is completely mentally and physically draining. With a lifestyle like this, health can suffer (physical or mental), families, relationships, and we develop unhealthy habits. Is this really worth it? 

It makes me so happy to see the conversation around mental health becoming more common in the music industry, and being taken more seriously. Kendall Corso is the Co-Founder and COO of Backline. A company focused on the mental health of the people working behind the scenes of tours and festivals. Backline offers many services from referrals for counseling, courses in meditation, yoga, nutrition, support groups, and much more. Kendall got her start in the music industry in the touring and festival world, and has first hand witnessed the struggle with mental health and issues such as depression, addiction, anxiety, suicide, and more. In the music industry, we know the backline as being the backbone of the instruments on stage, the amps, the drums, keyboards, turntables, and so on. Kendall’s company, Backline, is like the backbone of your mental and physical health. 

In this conversation, we talk about signs for mental health issues, getting help, how to have open talks with your leadership, and much more.

Quotes from Kendall Corso
“Volunteering is a good way to start (with music festivals). It’s how to build a rapport with the people who are going to be making the decisions.” 
“Any part of the industry is kind of a 24/7 gig with not a lot of office hours or structure.” 
“When you're spending life on the road, it’s difficult for people to maintain their adulthood.” 
“It’s just healthy to talk it out and to not let things build up between people who are stuck on a bus or van for weeks at a time.” 
“Smoothies are awesome because you really feel the energy that those fruits and veggies give you.” 
“It’s about conversations and being up front, and asking more than telling.” 
“Feelings are ok.” 
“Another thing about the music industry is that their family doesn’t really understand it.” 
“There is a fine line between persistent and being annoying.” 
“Always have multiple sources of income.”  

Highlights from this Episode
[4:50] Early journey in the music industry and college 
[6:08] About Backline 
[8:03] Kendall’s Journey in the music industry 
[13:22] NOLA Crawfish Festival in New Orleans 
[14:38] Getting into the festival world 
[15:48] Inspiration to starting Backline 
[17:42] Common calls they receive 
[20:07] Making our industry more mindful 
[23:50] Getting venues involved with Backline 
[27:24] Small adjustments to transition to better health 
[31:06] Meditation and virtual offerings 
[32:25] Identifying when someone is struggling 
[34:05] Having more mindful conversations 
[36:12] Effect from COVID-19 
[44:44] Not feeling comfortable speaking up with bosses 
[48:41] Getting to Know Kendall Corso (Rapid Fire Questions) 

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
Music Masters Camps
The Allman Brothers Band  
Brandon ‘Taz’ Neiderauer
School of Rock the Musical
Live for Live Music
 NOLA Crawfish Festival
Mempho Music Festival
Neal Casal 
Fit on Tour
St. Augustine Amphitheater 
Come Together Program from Backline
Frequency Mind
SunFest - West Palm Beach

Kendall Corso’s Definition of Making It:
”You’ve gotten to a place where people are recognizing that the work your doing is important for the larger community, but you’re also at a place personally where you’re comfortable.”

Get in touch with Kendall Corso:
https://backline.care/
Facebook | Instagram

Related Episodes:
Katie Zaccardi - Wellness and Self Care [Episode #095]
Heather Mae - Making Pop Music Her Own Way [Episode #093]
Neal Casal - Stories from a 30+ Year Career [Episode #043]

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits: 
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Katie Zaccardi – Bringing a Wellness and Self-Care Approach to Artist Coaching and the Music Industry with a Focus on Mental Health

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

In today’s world we deal with a lot of societal pressures with social media and the chase for likes and followers being looked at with a microscope by the music business. Writing a great song that people connect with and selling tickets to a show is pressure enough. Combine the two, and it can lead to all kinds of issues when it comes to mental health. The music industry needs a different approach when it comes to artist management and coaching, and not just for artists but the music industry professionals behind the scenes as well. This is why I was really excited when the music industry-focused wellness and career coach, Katie Zaccardi, reached out to me to share her message on the podcast.

Kattie Zaccardi is a wellness and career coach that’s also a musician, songwriter, music industry professional, and certified yoga instructor. In her journey, she has been very open about her own experience with generalized anxiety disorder, which lead her to the discovery of the urgent need of having conversations around mental health and self-care within the music industry. Katie offers coaching that’s focused on self-care, mental wellness, but also traditional career coaching on how to successfully market yourself as an artist and build a career at being an artist. She also has her own podcast, The Out to Be Podcast, and is also the COO of Women Crush Music.

In this episode, we discuss some marketing tips for artists, her journey in the music industry, dealing with anxiety, tips for mental wellness and self-care, and much more.

Join Katie’s Free MASTERCLASS Session

Highlights from this Episode
[4:01] Studying Music Business at NYU
[6:28] Courses that were helpful for Real World Music Business
[7:45] Music Industry Internships
[9:25] Pitching Yourself
[13:58] Katie’s Current Music Career
[16:58] About Women Crush Music
[20:25] Wellness and Career Coaching
[28:05] Personal Experience with Anxiety
[32:30] Managing Anxiety and Panic Attacks
[41:30] Importance of Sleep
[45:35] Going to a Functional Medicine Doctor
[52:18] Managing Stress with Self-Care and Long Work Days
[56:11] Identifying someone that’s struggling
[58:48] Alternate Nostril Breathing
[1:00:35] Getting to Know Katie Zaccardi

Quotes from Katie Zaccardi
“You gotta know who you’re pitching to, because if you don’t, you can’t personalize it.”
“How can you look at everything you’re doing as building an actual relationship, instead of asking strangers for favors.”
“Nobody is looking at you [Artists] as a whole.”
“Sleep is the number one place to start…First of all start one thing at a time, second of all, start with sleep.”
“Make sure you’re staying hydrated, make sure you are taking a break for food.”
“When you do grab lunch, see if you cannot use your phone, see if you can just be present with your food, take a break, breathe deeply while you do it.”
“Set boundaries and say no. You’re not obligated to do anything for anyone.”
“If you need a break, and keep saying yes, eventually your body is going to stop you.”
“It’s not your responsibility to make anyone open up, but it is your responsibility to be a compassionate human being, and that will make people comfortable.”
“Simply ask, what do you need from me right now…do you need advice or do you want me to just listen.”
“Nothing is super urgent, and I think a lot of times in the music industry everyone acts as if everything is the end of the world and so urgent.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
NYU Music Business
Women Crush Music
Functional Medicine Doctor (How to Find)
Adrenal Soothe
CBD
Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Whoop Wristband
Magnesium
Ayurveda
Paul McCartney
Living With Yourself (TV Show)
For the Love of Money (Podcast)
Online Marketing Made Easy (Podcast)

Get in touch with Katie Zaccardi
PODCAST: https://pod.link/1456146541
WEBSITE: www.katiezaccardi.com
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/katiezaccardi

Join Katie’s FREE MASTERCLASS, The top four mindset shifts you need to make in order to manifest your dream artist career, happening 11/14: bit.ly/outtobemasterclass

Katie’s Definition of Making It
“Being in touch with yourself, and it’s not about reaching anybody else’s goals or what you feel is making it, but being genuinely fulfilled and happy with what you’re doing.”

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits: 
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp

Heather Mae – Making Pop Music Her Own Way with a Message to Empower, Inspire, and Make a Difference

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

Heather Mae is an award-winning singer-songwriter who is unfazed by what typical pop artist today is “supposed” to look like and how the typical pop artist is “supposed” to sound. She writes and performs beautiful pop music with lyrics about real topics that affect the average person. Heather. Is inspired by her own experiences and identifies – a queer, plus size woman living with Bipolar Disorder. In this episode we discuss her new album, body positivity and empowerment, mental disorders from Bipolar to Tourette’s, and alternative remedies for mental health.

This has one of my favorite and most inspiring episodes so far. Heather really helped open me up and speak about topics that I want to share more on the podcast and have more experts on the podcast for those topics. During the episode I said something along the lines that creatives feel more. And that’s not saying that people that aren’t creative or using their creativity to make a living don’t feel. They just haven’t trained that side of their personality as much as creatives that are constantly pouring their soul out into a song, canvas, acting role, film directing, design, etc. I truly believe we’re all creative beings full of emotions, and it’s important to talk about these emotions that we feel. Thankfully for creative and brave people like Heather Mae, it brings more awareness to these topics, and hopefully makes people more courageous to talk to someone about their feelings. It’s something that’s so important, and we should never let anyone or any pre-conceived perception of what a pop star should look and sound like, what sexy is, what strong is, etc. hold us back from being our most true authentic selves.

I love this episode, and Heather Mae is a truly beautiful human being making a giant impact in the world, and I hope this podcast helps and inspires one person.

Highlights from this Episode
[3:10] Doing a Yoga Headstand
[7:02] Eating disorders and being fat in the music industry
[18:39] Struggles of Anorexia
[24:55] The things that really matter in health and longevity
[31:08] Using the terms fat versus overweight
[39:35] Overcoming the battle with an eating disorder
[43:25] Where Heather found her courage
[45:35] Being your real Authentic self
[50:25] First single “Feeling Crazy” and going off of Bipolar Medicine
[57:34] Finding alternative ways to treat mental illness
[1:14:05] Bringing more variety to the Podcast

 Quotes from Heather Mae  
“My body is a machine and she is capable of so much.”
“All bodies can be sensual, and all bodies can be beautiful.”
“Plus size women in the music industry is so much bigger than just singing our songs.”
“When my body is in the spotlight, girls who are bigger that look like me, they don’t feel like they’re a freak.”
“Your body will tell you where it wants to go.”
“You are the only one that knows what feels good.”
“Physical health is just as important as mental health.”
“I’m perfectly perfect the way I fucking am right now.”
“I made a vow to God that if I got my voice back that I would make social justice music.”
“When I came out as queer and as a social justice songwriter and fat, I realized I didn’t have to search so hard for my fans.”
“When I started shifting from trying to be a pop artist that fit into the music industry, and instead just talked about my fans what I believe…I found my fans.”
“I focus my time to what is the legacy I am leaving behind and that shifted everything for me.”
“We live in a world where mean aren’t supposed to feel…but it’s so ridiculous.”
“There is a huge spectrum of gender and so we should just let ourselves just exist.”
“We as creators, I believe, are in the service industry.”
“Somebody that is going through a hard time or has been through a hard time, when they listen to that, they feel seen, and when they feel seen they feel loved.”
“It’s really important that we as creators are mindful of what we do with our vessel.”
“Musicians need to be finding things that fill their souls that help them be the best creators they can be.”  

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Heather Mae
Lizzo
Adele
Blue Zones
Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker [BOOK]
Alexa Bliss interview on Chasing Glory [Podcast]
Mary Gauthier  
Scullcap
Ashwagandha
St. Johns Wort
Magnesium
Vitamin D
Southeast Wise Women Conference
Transcendental Meditation
Insight Timer [App]
Binaural Beats
Brain Wave Binaural Series [App]
BrainWave Tuner [App]  
Mood Rise [App]
Qi Gong
Ben Greenfield podcast episode on Earthing with Clint Ober  

Heather’s Definition of Making It:
“I have made it because I’m living a creative life where people listen to my music and are staying alive because of my music.”

Get in touch with Heather Mae  
https://www.heathermae.net/
https://www.patreon.com/heathermae
https://www.instagram.com/heathermaemusic/
Heather Mae on Spotify

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits: 
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp