The Last Dinner Party talk music and mental health: “When you start a band, you don’t think you’re starting a business”
While at the BRITs, The Last Dinner Party discussed how they want to encourage more discussion around artists’ mental health, and told NME that their second album is on the way.
The band caught up with NME while on the red carpet for this year’s BRIT Awards, where they were nominated for four awards, but walked away with Best New Artist – and used their speech to voice support for grassroots music venues.
During the interview, the band looked back at the milestones they’ve seen since taking home the Rising Star award in 2024, and revealed what changes they have implemented since facing mental health struggles on the road.
Looking back at how they were forced to cancel several live shows at the end of last year due to “emotional, mental, physical burnout”, the group told NME about the realisations they have had going into 2025.
“[It’s about] planning your year with limitations. Not just seizing every single opportunity because it’s great,” bassist Georgia Davies told NME. “You have to value yourself as the greatest thing. If you don’t put that first, everything else will crumble. Setting out your expectations for the year and what your physical and mental limitations are [is vital].
She continued: “We hope other artists learn from that, because we learned a really valuable lesson from having to [cancel shows], and we hope the industry at large absorbs some of it. A lot of other artists have had to do the same thing, and it’s tragic for the fans and everyone involved. I hope it’s something we all learn from going forward.”
Keyboardist Aurora Nishevci agreed, explaining how the band hope to encourage more widespread awareness across the industry: “There is not a lot of discussion. Historically, artists have not had a good time.”
She continued: “When you start a band, you just want to write music and play music. It’s something you love, but you don’t think you’re starting a business. You have to set the safeguarding for yourself, you have to learn how to run it and employ people. So when you enter into making any music from music — which is really hard in the first place — then there is that whole other learning curve that comes.
“If we collect as artists and start talking about it more, it would help the next generation – because it is hard.”
As well as explaining to NME how their view towards playing live has shifted going into 2025, the band also revealed what they are underway with working on the follow-up to their huge debut album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy’.
“Hopefully new music [is coming soon]. We’re working on it at the moment and it feels really good to be creating again after touring again for so long,” singer Abigail Morris said.
“We’re approaching the second album the same way we approached the first album, which is by doing what we want to do without any pressures or expectations. Obviously there is a little bit of anxiety about the sophomore thing, but we’re just sticking to what we want to do. It’s about doing what feels right for now.”
Nishevci continued: “You might have heard some! If you come to a show, you might hear some! It’s not like we’ve done a complete left turn, but we are pushing ourselves, trying different things and experimenting.”
In a four-star review of their critically acclaimed first album, NME shared: “Some may choose to posit the band’s success as an antidote to the intense scrutiny – about their rise, appearance and decision to make music without a ‘serious’ intention – they’ve received in their early career. But take all of that away, and you’re still left with fantastic songs that are easy to embrace and return to. It’s hard to miss all the things they’re doing right.”
The Last Dinner Party were named as winners of Best New Artist – beating off competition from English Teacher, Ezra Collective, Myles Smith and Rachel Chinouriri. Check out a full list of the night’s winners here.
For help and advice on mental health:
- “Am I depressed?” – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next
- MITC – A collective of musician industry therapists
- TONIC Rider – Bespoke training and support for music industry professionals
- Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians
- Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues
- YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
- CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably
- The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day
The post The Last Dinner Party talk music and mental health: “When you start a band, you don’t think you’re starting a business” appeared first on NME.
Liberty Dunworth
NME
