‘Non-stop’, the HEART of all problems

CHENNAI: All the glitz and glamour of the world of DJs, singers and other performing artistes comes at a huge cost – their health. While cardiac arrest can be sudden and fatal, it’s a preventable issue if artistes are allowed to do something as simple as… take a break!

The sudden death of singer KK recently, and Puneet Rajkumar and Siddharth Shukla this year, due to cardiac arrest has highlighted the importance of identifying symptoms that can later lead to cardiac arrest.

City-based singers and DJs say that their health takes a back seat as they constantly travel for shows and have a very irregular lifestyle that leads to the increased risk of such health issues.

“I lost a bit of my hearing in my left ear. I also suffer from Tinnitus, which is again due to regular exposure to loud noise and sound pollution. It does not affect my life but then as a DJ, it affects my work and will only worsen over time,” says Reynold Sam, (also known as DJ Mag X).

He added that the pressure to perform and be constantly exposed to loud noise, whether as a beginner or a popular artist, takes a toll on an individual’s health over time.

“We usually get early morning flights and it’s not possible to get adequate sleep when you finish late-night shows. When you don’t have a manager, you have to book flights and take care of accommodation, check on arrangements at the venue, perform for 3-4 hours straight and get back the next day,” explains Reynold. “Meanwhile, we have to work on our music sets during odd hours and do the background homework before we perform. After returning from a tour, I fainted at the airport as I was dehydrated from continuous events.”

DJ Mazzr has completed 20 years in the business. As a youngster, he had the energy to do it all, over and over again, but after a few years, discipline is key.

“We need some time to recharge but in the case of continuous shows, it is not easy. Organisers

usually provide early morning flights because it’s cheaper and/ or easily available,” he avers. “My right ear has lost about 15% of hearing over the years of work. I use my own set of software and gear to make up for the hearing loss when I play.”

Additionally, the stress of consistently performing well brings a lot of stress and anxiety. “There’s a lack of sleep and an improper diet, because we are usually eating outside or at irregular timings. And now, we have social media, which is more work, as it’s important to showcase content on various platforms,” he points out.

Musicians and singers are often expected to perform for hours continuously, and this too affects their vocal chords, among others. “There are organisers who insist on having no breaks, and that there should be continuous music. I’ve seen musicians play nonstop for 3 hours without taking a break. Imagine doing that every day,” laments singer and songwriter of Chennai Street Band, Srihari Jagannathan. “Artistes deserve some empathy; they’re not products you buy. I work with audio engineers who have health issues due to non-stop recordings.”

It’s more stressful now as the pandemic had brought the industry to its knees and performers had not given any shows for over two years. “When I performed for the first time after the pandemic, I did not have the same stamina and energy I used to have,” recalls Srihari.

Promoting an event culture, where playing non-stop, without a break is a norm, must stop, claim performers. “Allow musicians to take breaks and hydrate. Respect their health. I’m sure the audience will understand and empathise,” he adds.

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