I Took a Break From Music – and Didn’t Lose Everything

Article by Manuela Bittencourt – 08/01/2025

In music, we’re told to keep the momentum going.

Keep posting. Keep releasing. Keep building. Never stop.

Because if you take a break?

People will forget you.

The algorithm will punish you. 

You’ll “lose your chance”.

But what if it’s not true?

What if taking a break isn’t the end of your career –

But the reason it survives?

The Fear of Stepping Back

Let’s be honest:

Taking a break feels like failure in a world that praises nonstop hustle. Especially when you see artists dropping constant singles, content, and collabs.

But no one posts about the burnout.

The panic attacks.

The injuries.

The years of resenting music because they never slowed down.

The truth is: sometimes stepping back is the only way forward. And that’s okay.

Breaks Aren’t The End – They’re a Reset

Plenty of artists have hit pause:

• Kendrick Lamar went quiet for five years, only to return with Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers—an introspective, vulnerable album that addressed fatherhood, therapy, and generational trauma.
• Lorde took a massive break after Melodrama to live life—and came back with Solar Power on her own terms.
• Justin Bieber publicly stepped back for mental health, saying he needed to heal before returning to music.
• Rihanna paused music to focus on building her businesses—and the world still waits for her next release.

The lesson?
You don’t lose your voice when you rest. You strengthen it.

What You Actually Lose When You Never Stop

• Your joy
• Your peace
• Your health
• Your love for the art
• Your sense of self beyond the stage or screen

Sometimes you have to ask: “What’s the cost of never slowing down?”

What Happened When Most Artists Took a Break

• Their bodies finally relaxed.
• Their minds cleared.
• They remembered who they were without the pressure to “produce.”
• They discovered new sounds. New words. New reasons to return.

And when they came back?

They didn’t feel behind. They felt whole.

If You’re Thinking of Taking a Break…

• Do it with intention. Let yourself rest, not just disconnect.
• Don’t rush back. You don’t need a comeback timeline. Take what you need.
• Document your feelings. Even if you’re not writing music, stay close to your emotional truth.
• Trust your audience. The people who truly connect with your work? They’ll still be there.

Final Thoughts

You are not a machine.

You’re not just “content.”

You are a whole person.

And if music is really your path – it won’t vanish just because you paused.

It’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready. And you’ll return with more to say.