Diablo Apparently Detained After Posting Letter Hinting at Suicide

The ups and downs of the music industry pushed Diablo to pen a disconcerting letter.

Author:: John Cameron
Publish date:: May 8, 2019

Fear paralyzed members of the EDM and hip-hop communities after Diablo shared an open letter suggesting intentions of self-harm. The Ecuadorian-born, Los Angeles-based DJ/producer has since been taken into custody according to his Instagram Story.

Diablo (real name Sebastian Baldeon) shared a statement on social media on the morning of May 8th that, although it didn't explicitly state that he planned to commit suicide, gave his fans and supporters cause for concern. One passage reads "I'll be happier off dead," and near the end he wrote, "I'm gonna end it tonight." On both Twitter and Instagram, hundreds of his followers offered words of encouragement and alarm.

An apparent suicide letter written by DJ/producer Diablo.

Shortly thereafter, Baldeon shared a video via his Instagram story. In the brief clip, police officers appear to be getting ready to take him away for evaluation.

The mental health issues faced by musicians has emerged as a topic of concern in recent years. Between Avicii's untimely passing and studies finding that 73% of artists deal with depression, anxiety and other psychological ailments, the potential tragedies posed by the rigors of the industry are increasingly difficult to ignore.

Baldeon has produced music for hip-hop artists like Lil Pump and Smokepurpp but has also crossed over into electronic music. In addition to working with Diplo, he recently accompanied Dillon Francis and Alison Wonderland on the Lost My Mind Tour.

EDM.com encourages anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts to call the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255 for free and confidential support.