It’s Time To Talk is a new mental health survey that seeks to highlight challenges and ways to sustain the music industry in India.
New Delhi’s Global Music Institute, international mental health practice Tatva, in collaboration with Goldsmiths, University of London, and U.K.-based data specialists Creative Empirical, have launched the anonymous survey, meant for musicians as well as music professionals living and working in India over the age of 18 years.
The nationwide survey will be open to submissions for a few months into 2026, hoping to build a large enough dataset to present to industry stakeholders at a later stage.
It’s Time To Talk is an online survey that takes 10-12 minutes to complete, and participation is entirely voluntary, confidential, and anonymous. “The research team are particularly interested in how intersecting factors impact the mental health and wellbeing of those working in the non-film and/or independent scene,” a press release adds.
Through the survey, the researchers aim to investigate how working in the music industry in India impacts the mental health of its professionals. The description on the survey page states, “Earlier research has found that many people in the music industry struggle with their mental health. However, that research focused mainly on musicians; our study includes both musicians and non-musicians. We also want to know what factors improve mental health, as well as people’s experiences accessing help.”
The survey seeks demographic info, the participant’s role in the music industry — whether they’re a music creator, involved in recording, publishing, live music, a music rep, retailer, or in music education, therapy, consultation, or journalism, among other fields. There are also questions of mental health experiences, one’s socio-economic status, and the kind of mental health support sought out so far.
The press release adds, “By generating rich, data-driven insights, ‘It’s Time to Talk’ wishes to contribute towards building a safer, more empathetic, and sustainable music ecosystem in India.”
Global Music Institute’s executive director Megha Balani says in a statement, “At GMI, we believe in nurturing musicians that go beyond technical training — it includes supporting their emotional and psychological well-being. This research is an extension of that vision. It brings together diverse voices from music, psychology, and academia to address one of the most urgent yet under-researched issues in our industry.”
Tatva’s Kripi Malviya adds, “For too long we have seen the myriad ways in which mental health shows up in the Indian music industry, and this data will have powerful implications on policy and mental health services. This research hopes to shed direct light on the lived experiences and struggles of this diverse group.”
Goldsmiths, University of London’s Dr. George Musgrave says, “The opportunity to learn more about mental health in this dynamic and vibrant music economy, and drive change to make a difference through our global collaboration, is incredibly exciting.”
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