A World Where Musicians Are Thriving (But the Coffee Tastes Like Shit)

I had this dream once.
I was sitting in a tiny café somewhere in the Inner West of Sydney.

Thrift shops. Ponchos. Queer-friendly.
Purple hair is the norm.
Being in a band is a requirement.
You’re more likely to be judged for not being an artist.

Now, I don’t normally sit in cafés.
And I rarely find myself in the Inner West.
So it’s a good thing this was a dream.

In the dream, I’m sipping my coffee — bitter, over-frothed, definitely too many adjectives in the name — when I notice a duo busking out the front.

They’re playing original tunes.
They’ve got the usual “follow us on Instagram” board.
A stack of CDs on the counter.
Twenty-five people max in the place.

It’s a familiar scene.
Musicians hustling for exposure, maybe sell a CD or two, pick up a follower.
Hoping someone says something encouraging.
Hoping no one tells them to “get a real job.”

But here’s the twist.

These two?
They’re not here to hustle.
They’re just… playing.
For fun.

It’s a Sunday morning.
They’ve had their double shot, caramel-macadamia-oat-almond latte with an acai bowl on the side, and decided to roll out a few tunes.

The sign next to them doesn’t say “follow me.”
It says: “Write your song request.”

Someone walks up and says:
“Hey—I saw you last week at the Capitol Theatre!”
They laugh. Thank them and they keep playing.

I thought, I better check their Instagram.
Half their feed was all music.

Behind the scenes. Demo tracks. The usual.

The other half was… something else. Something out of this world.

Vlogs about their therapy sessions.
Confessions about suicidal thoughts.
Monthly check-ins with their mental health support group.

Their tour includes two standout shows:

1. A charity festival for artists' mental health care.

2. An intimate gig where the audience can step up and share their stories after the music ends.

In this dream, Chester Bennington, Amy Winehouse, Avicii, Chris Cornell, and Kurt Cobain are all still alive.
They talk openly about their recovery. About going to therapy.

Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi, Selena Gomez —they're not judged for taking time off.
They go on tour not just with their songs, but with speeches that encourage fans to take care of themselves.

Even Robin Williams is still here.
Still funny. Still brilliant.
But playing characters who don’t wear masks —
who are flawed, vulnerable, and human.

The only downside?

The coffee’s awful. I rather drink dirt.
But in this world?
I don’t care.

It’s a small price to live in a place where artists are allowed to be human.
Where creators can make a living without being crushed.
Where no one’s ashamed to say “I’m not okay.”

When I woke up the next morning,
I shuffled into my kitchen, half-asleep.
Made a coffee.

It was perfect. Too perfect.

And I felt a little disappointed.
Because I knew I was back in Earth One.
The real world.

But maybe, just maybe, that dream doesn’t have to stay a dream.

Maybe we don’t need a multiverse.
Maybe we just need to care a little more.
Listen a little better.
Make the music industry — and the world — safer for the people inside it.

I’ll take a matcha over a perfect coffee if it means that future exists.

💬 So now I want to hear from you:

If you could travel to another Earth…
what would your world look like for artists, musicians, and creators?

Reply here or comment below —
I’ll share some of your best visions on my substack notes.

📌 P.S. If this post resonated, would you consider sharing it with a friend?

It helps me grow this newsletter and keep it free so I can continue helping musicians build a thriving music career without sacrificing their mental health.

Thanks for reading The Mental Musician.

📹 Check out my latest Youtube video: 

🎗️And if you want more support:

I created the Burnout to Breakthrough Mental Health Journal for Musicians like you — your personal mental health companion designed to help you reflect, reset, and rebuild your creative life without falling apart in the process.

Inside, you’ll find:

✅ A 3-part strategy to rebuild your energy, reset your mindset, and redefine success
✅ A fully interactive Notion journal to help you stay grounded and focused
✅ Daily, weekly, and monthly check-ins to track your wellbeing and goals
✅ A simple system you can return to anytime you feel lost, overwhelmed, or burnt out

This journal is a reminder:
you don’t have to keep burning just to keep going.

Grab your journal down below, and start turning this dream into your reality 👇

Click here to grab your journal today

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