You Can Love Music and Still Want to Quit Sometimes

Article by Manuela Bittencourt – 08/05/2025

Let’s start with the truth:

You can love something with your whole heart… and still feel like giving up.

You can love music.

Love singing.

Love performing.

Love creating.

And still… want to walk away.

That doesn’t make you dramatic.

That doesn’t make you ungrateful.

That doesn’t mean the dream is dead.

It just means you’re exhausted. And that’s real.

When the Love Feels Heavy

Music careers are beautiful, but they’re not easy:

• Constant self-promotion.
• Financial instability.
• Endless comparison.
• Creative burnout.
• A sense that it’s never “enough.”

You start wondering:

“Is it worth it?”

“Would life be easier if I just let this go?”

And maybe… in some ways, it would.

But ease and joy are not always the same.

Why This Feeling Isn’t a Sign of Failure

We’re taught that loving what you do means you never want to quit.

But that’s not love. It’s fantasy.

Real love includes fatigue.

Real passion includes doubt.

Real purpose includes pressure.

Wanting to quit doesn’t mean you don’t care.

It means you’ve been caring so hard, for so long, that you’re worn out.

It Happens to The Best of Us

• Lady Gaga said she considered quitting music after feeling “used and exhausted.”
• Pharrell has talked about feeling “disconnected” from his music in moments of burnout.
• Sam Smith revealed dealing with panic attacks, anxiety, depression, and even PTSD—emphasizing how the emotional toll hit them hard as they transitioned into touring and global fame.

Even the greats want to quit sometimes.

So What Do You Do?

• Pause. Don’t panic. You don’t have to decide today. Step back. Breathe.
• Reconnect with your why. Why did you start? What did music give you before it became a career?
• Let yourself rest. Without guilt. Without pressure. Without productivity.
• Talk about it. With a friend, a therapist, another musician. Say the words: “I’m not okay right now.”
• Remember: quitting and stepping back are not the same thing.

Final Thoughts

You’re not weak for feeling this way.
You’re not ungrateful.
You’re not a fraud.

You’re an artist in a tough world, trying to survive without losing your soul.

And even if you do quit for a while…
Music will still be part of you.
It’s not something you lose. It’s something you carry.

You can love music and still want to quit.
And you can come back when you’re ready.