Episode 2: Mental Health and Entertainment with Jess McDevitt
In this episode, the crew sits down with Jess McDevitt for a thoughtful conversation about mental health, creativity, and the pressures of working in entertainment. Jess shares her perspective as a social impact strategist and artist partnerships consultant, reflecting on how artists navigate visibility, success, authenticity, burnout, and the fast pace of the modern music industry. Together, they explore the emotional cost of constant content creation, the shifting meaning of success, the pressure artists face after the pandemic, and why staying grounded in your own path matters more than chasing industry timelines.
01:25 The pressure to “make it” in today’s industry
03:30 Content creation fatigue and the pressure to always document
06:00 Authenticity versus performance online
08:30 Redefining success beyond numbers and status
11:00 Knowing when you’re on the right path
14:00 Age pressure, timelines, and rewriting your story
17:00 Family support, work ethic, and building your own narrative
20:00 More human conversations with artists and post-pandemic burnout
27:30 Pop-it question: change, co-living, and learning compromise
Jess McDevitt: [https://www.instagram.com/jessicaamcd/]
Jessica is a social impact strategist + artist partnerships consultant based in NYC. After 3 years at the Recording Academy/GRAMMYs, Jessica developed a storytelling project called More or Less (with Jess), a podcast that asks the question, 'How are you really feeling, more or less?' Today, Jessica connects artists and fans to social impact movements by finding ways to drive change beyond the music. Previous work experience includes SIRIUS XM, AEG Presents, Forbes Under 30 Scholar, Sofar Sounds, and consulting for various mental health organizations.
Jake Tavill: [https://www.instagram.com/jaketavill/]
Founder and CEO of Indigo Soul NYC, Jake is an artist, songwriter, producer, and engineer whose goal in life is to create, and empower others to create moving art. A graduate of NYU Tisch’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Jake has released a number of albums, coordinated the renowned GroundUP Music Festival, worked with talented musicians from Jazz to Pop, scored for Film/TV (notably K-Dramas), and performed for audiences across the world. Jake started Indigo Soul NYC to harness the power of the artistic community he had seen grow disconnected yet ever more inspired, through creating accessible resources and support to encourage collaboration across genre, background, and medium to shape the future of culture and make an impact on society.
Aziz Finney: [https://www.instagram.com/s0ulfoodnj/]
Aziz Finney is an artist and musician, driven by curiosity, connection, and the search for deeper meaning. In the wake of the disconnection left by COVID, he began a personal journey of self-discovery that pushed him to ask bigger questions about identity, healing, purpose, and what it means to be human. That journey evolved into conversations with strangers on deeply reflective topics, creating space for honesty, vulnerability, and perspective in a world that often moves too fast to look inward. Through his work, Aziz invites others to join him in exploring the questions that shape us, hoping to make people feel a little more seen, a little less alone, and a little more connected to themselves and each other.
Taylor Tote: [https://www.instagram.com/taylor.tote/]
Taylor Tote is a singer, songwriter, producer, and creative director originally from the NJ/NYC area now based in San Diego, CA. Recognized by the Asbury Park Press for her “big voice, old soul” style, Taylor has spent the last 10 years touring nationally as both a solo artist and alongside acclaimed soul performer Remember Jones. With a background in music, media, business, and entrepreneurship, Taylor served has lead Content Creation and Production at Indigo Soul NYC [https://www.indigosoulnyc.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com], where she produced and co-hosted the podcast Thoughts on the Path. Passionate about honest conversation, creativity, and community, Taylor helped curate a thoughtful and artist-driven perspective to each episode, exploring the realities of music, mental health, identity, and navigating life on your own terms.
Indigo Soul NYC: [https://www.instagram.com/indigosoulnyc/]
Indigo Soul NYC nurtures artists of all levels, mediums, and backgrounds by providing accessible space, community, and education with the goal of shaping society through the means of culture.
Thoughts on the Path [https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsonthepath/] is Hosted by Aziz Finney [https://www.instagram.com/s0ulfoodnj/] and Taylor Tote [https://www.instagram.com/taylor.tote/]
Powered by Indigo Soul NYC [https://www.indigosoulnyc.com/]
To learn more about how you can support Thoughts on the Path and other Indigo Soul NYC media projects visit www.indigosoulnyc.com/media [https://www.indigosoulnyc.com/media]
Thoughts on the Path [https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsonthepath/] is Hosted by Aziz Finney [https://www.instagram.com/s0ulfoodnj/] and Taylor Tote [https://www.instagram.com/taylor.tote/]
Powered by Indigo Soul NYC [https://www.indigosoulnyc.com/]
To learn more about how you can support Thoughts on the Path and other Indigo Soul NYC media projects visit www.indigosoulnyc.com/media [https://www.indigosoulnyc.com/media]
