Backline was founded in 2019 with the mission of connecting artists, music industry professionals, and their families with mental health and wellness resources. Essentially, everything Chappell Roan called on the industry to do in her 2025 Grammy acceptance speech, Backline has been working on for years. This week, thanks in part to the attention Roan brought to their cause, the nonprofit reached a milestone they’d had since the very beginning: launching a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week mental health and crisis support hotline, B-LINE.
Artists and industry workers, as well as their family members, can now access counselors 24/7 by calling 1-855-BLINE99 or texting 254-639.
On Tuesday night, January 27th, Backline celebrated B-LINE with “Backline’s Biggest Night,” a special concert held at New York City’s Irving Plaza. Industry partners and community members were treated to performances from artists including Steve Earle, Joy Oladokun, and a DJ set from Questlove, in addition to comments from Backline co-founder Hilary Gleason and Spotify’s newly appointed Senior Vice President, Global Head of Music Charlie Hellman. (Spotify for Artists is a major financial backer of B-LINE.)
Gleason prefaced her remarks by noting she was likely to get emotional because B-LINE has been a dream for so long. And she did, choking up as she recalled securing the backing for B-LINE and the fact that calls had already started rolling in, just 24 hours after launch. She then played a video package featuring Noah Kahan (who’s The Busyhead Project is also involved in the hotline), Indigo De Souza, and Marcus King discussing the importance of Backline at large and B-LINE in specifics.
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Live Nation is also a B-LINE sponsor, and in a press statement, Live Nation Entertainment President & CEO Michael Rapino said, “Live Nation was among the first to feature Backline resources in our venues, and it has become an essential lifeline for the people who make our industry run. B-LINE gives them something we’ve long needed: immediate help, anytime. Live Nation is proud to support this 24/7 resource and ensure it’s prominently featured across all our venues.”
Mimi Naja then got the musical portion of the night started, discussing her own experience with Backline and playing a two-song acoustic set. Earle was next, poking gentle fun at the industry crowd chattering through his first performance (“It’s okay, I remember my first beer too”) and telling a story about how immigrants made a city like New York what it is. “Deport ICE,” he said before going into a fittingly timed “City of Immigrants.”
Oladokun followed, revealing how she just got her first Gold Record (“Sweet Symphony” featuring Chris Stapleton) and that she wrote the songs she was performing while depressed on tour (including “Nothing Comes Easy”). Cautious Clay sang two songs with some acoustic guitar accompaniment before Melt (wearing “Melt ICE” hats) closed things down with the only full-band performance of the night. Melt bringing out everyone made sense, considering — as Gleason revealed — their bassist is married to a Backline case worker.
Questlove spent the rest of the evening spinning a crowd-pleasing mix of classics, as attendees grabbed free swag with the B-LINE contact information and enjoyed the specialty Bee Line cocktail. As fun as the evening was, the real joy came from what Backline has accomplished and what it represents. As someone who has utilized their resources myself, I can attest to how invaluable their work is, and how truly great their team is. B-LINE is a tool that has the potential to have a marked impact across the music industry, and in a time where too much seems to be going wrong for professionals in this field, there’s nothing more worthy of celebration.
See a photo gallery from “Backline’s Biggest Night” below.
