Who’s an artist guardian?

An Artist Guardian is anyone who supports and stands by the artist with care, belief, and encouragement. They're the steady presence behind the scenes, holding space for the ups and downs of the creative journey. Most often, it’s a partner —but it can also be a close friend, a parent, a sibling, a kid, or even the artist’s community.

I created the term Artist Guardian because everyone else who facilitates getting the artist on the stage and their music into ears - crew, managers, bookers, venue staff, label and publishing peeps, etc - have formal titles. The artist’s emotional anchor deserves a title too.

What truly defines the artist guardian is how they show up. It’s a role that is less about visibility and more about vision. Sometimes the artist guardian carries the vision for the artist when they’ve lost their way. They protect the artist’s well-being, help keep life grounded, and offer support so the music - and the human behind it - can thrive. They don’t show up for the spotlight, but the music wouldn't be the same without them.

Because of their many hats and their profound extension of caring, artist guardians also require intentional care and resourcing so they don’t burn out. Part of that care includes creating healthier and more sustainable touring environments so the artist goes home with something left to give, instead of going home depleted. The more depleted the artist becomes, the heavier the burden on the guardian. Alternately, the better we support the mental and relational health of artists, the more we reduce the emotional burden on the artist guardian.

It’s a guiding mission of the tour bloom to highlight these complexities, name the shifts that need to occur to experience more balance, and advocate for better support for the guardians so they can keep going.