FEATURE:
Some Moving and Emotional Words…
IN THIS PHOTO: Victoria Canal
Victoria Canal’s Recent Instagram Post Describes the Ups and Downs of Modern Touring
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I was caught by and struck…
by a recent Instagram post from Victoria Canal. It was a touring confessional that Canal was going to delete. Although she ends on a high and looks ahead to a big your and some great dates, she also mentioned how there are definite lows and realities that artists have to face. A truly brilliant and inspiring artist that everyone should check out, I do think that her success and the demand that has come for her music has led to this live schedule being packed and expansive. Canal was presented Rising Star award at the 2023 edition of the prestigious Ivor Novellos. The award win, as she said, was important:
"For the first time, I'm trying to talk about it in a way that makes me feel like I have ownership over it."
Victoria Canal has just received the Rising Star gong at the Ivor Novello awards, becoming the fourth consecutive female songwriter to do so.
The 24-year-old was born with one arm, and she tells Newsbeat music helps her "process" her disability.
"I think I've been navigating the whole 'having a limb difference as someone on stage thing'."
German-born Spanish-American Victoria recently shared a vulnerable song about having a disability.
She describes "old wounds and trauma" having an impact on her "for a very long time", but says she's writing about it "in a way that is helping me let it go".
"I don't think there will be a day where I get over it," she says.
"But at least saying it out loud helps me understand that not I'm not the only one feeling that way.
"And it feels very empowering."
The Ivors, as they're known, are the awards the most musicians want to win, because they recognise achievement in songwriting, rather than pure commercial sales.
And Victoria says being recognised at the Ivors - which also saw Raye and Harry Styles win awards - is a special feeling.
"It recognises craft in a way that I think other award shows don't do, specifically for songwriting”.
PHOTO CREDIT: Amanda Fordyce for The New Yorker
One thing I loved about Victoria Canal’s Instagram post was that she was very honest about touring and its downsides. She loves her fans, yet there are travel and economic issues that make it very hard. The cramped travel conditions and the stress and energy that is expanded and impactful when you perform all around the world. Canal talked about crammed sleeping spaces and that inevitable toll on the body and mind. It is not a new thing. Artists are discussing mental health and the fact that touring is difficult. Artists rarely making a profit and able to sustain long tours because of the impact it has on them. I will come back to Victoria Canal. She said on Instagram how she is in a better headspace now, but it was important to share her post. Looking ahead to touring, it is important that artists share the realities of what touring is like. An article from last year focused on Lorde and how she is feeling the economic issues with touring:
“Lorde has discussed the current economic realities of touring in a newsletter sent to fans.
The singer – who has been on the road for most of the tour touring in support of her third studio album, ‘Solar Power’ – is currently in the midst of a string of South American shows, having completed North American and European runs.
“Basically, for artists, promoters and crews, things are at an almost unprecedented level of difficulty,” Lorde wrote in her letter, citing factors like “three years’ worth of shows” occurring simultaneously, global economic downturn, and concertgoers’ “totally understandable wariness” around health risks.
She went on to acknowledge logistical factors such as widespread crew shortages, linking to an article from New Zealand news outlet Stuff about the issue. “Extremely overbooked trucks and tour buses and venues, inflated flight and accommodation costs, ongoing general COVID costs, and truly mindboggling freight costs” were also listed as factors.
“To freight a stage set across the world can cost up to three times the pre-pandemic price right now. I don’t know shit about money, but I know enough to understand that no industry has a profit margin that high,” Lorde continued.
“Ticket prices would have to increase to start accommodating even a little of this, but absolutely no one wants to charge their harried and extremely-compassionate-and-flexible audience any more fucking money.
“Nearly every tour has been besieged with cancellations and postponements and promises and letdowns, and audiences have shown such understanding and such faith, that between that and the post-COVID wariness about getting out there at all, scaring people away by charging the true cost ain’t an option. All we want to do is play for you.”
Lorde went on to say that she’s lucky because profits being down across the board doesn’t pose an issue for an artist of her stature, but touring has become a “demented struggle to break even or face debt” for artists selling less tickets than her – which in some cases, can make touring prohibitive altogether. Such was the case for Animal Collective, who cited economic difficulties for cancelling a recent UK and European tour”.
PHOTO CREDIT: Rahul Pandit/Pexels
It is harder now than ever for artists to make a living from touring. Even huge artists like Taylor Swift struggle and have issues, though they are in a very privileged position regarding finances and their experiences. For the vast majority of artists, there is that mix of pleasure and pain. The discomfort and financial struggles are set against the euphoria and connection you get from that live space. The relationship with the audiences. The chance for your music to be shared and get an instant reaction. I can see why artists are so compelled to perform live and do it in spite of the hurdles and drawbacks. There does seem to be a lot of barriers and heartache. Not making enough money and spending a load getting to see people. Travelling in buses and cars and not sleeping well or comfortably. The loneliness and exhaustion that you feel. Again, all things that have existed for decades, though I feel there is more pressure on artists now when it comes to touring endlessly to make money. This 2015 article revealed the darkness of touring. Here is another feature that reveals the lows and problems with touring today. With Brexit, the cost of living, and people maybe having less disposable income, tied to the fact artists want to be environmentally conscious and still get to see fans, there is so much to think about. It was very brave and important for Victoria Canal to share her thoughts.
PHOTO CREDIT: Shukhrat Umarov/Pexels
She is in a better place now, yet fans and everyone might think it is all glamour and fun. The reality is, for all artists, there are some real lows and gut punches. Even if ticket prices can be pretty steep, consider what some artists have to go through and how much of themselves – and their own money – they are using to get onto the stage in the first place! It is a real gruelling and hard thing to do (touring as an artist). That said, there are clear highs and positives. You get to be in the same space as the people who support your music. The thrill and phenomenal rush and high you get from performing and being in front of a crowd cannot be matched. Lots of love and best of luck to Victoria Canal – who has some big dates coming up. Support to all artists out there. Again, I would refer back to this invaluable book, Touring and Mental Health: The Music Industry Manual by Tamsin Embleton. It is an invaluable guide for artists when it comes to their mental health. That is something impacting so many artists. That desire to please their fans and get their music out there comes with that risk. The psychological impacts together with economic ones can be really devastating. I could not let Victoria Canal’s post go. It did make an impact on me. Her words will definitely resonate with other artists around the world. I am glad that things are better for her now. We do need to shine more of a light on touring and the effect it has on artists that are…
SO very valuable to us.