Self-Care Season: List Of Artists Who Took A Hiatus For Mental Health

Source: Paul Morigi / Getty

This week, two major artists dared to convey something that can seem obsolete in a money-fueled entertainment industry…

I need a break.

Big Sean kicked off the self-care message on his 31st birthday with a series of revealing and inspirational Instagram posts. In the first video, Sean explained that by this time last year, he wasn’t felling like himself, and he couldn’t figure out why:

“So what I did was, I stepped back from everything I was doing, everything I had going on because somewhere in the middle of it, I just felt lost.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvaqDZJlW3E/

When Sean realized his regular meditation wasn’t working, he decided to seek professional help.

“I got a good therapist. I was blessed enough to talk to some super spiritual people, and they made me realize one thing that I was missing in my life, and one thing that I was missing was clarity.”

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After not finding what he needed from friends and family, Sean said he started rolling solo for a while to rediscover himself:

“I started doing things by myself, doing things I never thought I’d do, like going skydiving or whatever I thought was fun, just doing it. In the midst of that, I definitely rediscovered myself and found a whole new energy, and me being the source of it and not somebody else. Then I started getting back to making the music, and it started being fun again. I’m making the best music of my life.”

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Justin Bieber is also team take-a-break, considering a lengthy Instagram post he made to fans demanding an album from him:

“I’ve toured my whole teenage life, and early 20s, I realized… and as you guys probably saw, I was unhappy last tour and I don’t deserve that, and you don’t deserve that, you pay money to come and have a lively energetic fun light concert, and I was unable emotionally to give you that near the end of the tour.”

Bieber, who recently married Hailey Baldwin, then went on to say that he’s taking time off to focus on his family and to finally handle “deep-rooted issues.” The Biebs says that his trust in himself and his trust in God will get him through this new phase in his life:

“Music is very important to me, but nothing comes before my family and my health. I will come with a kick a$$ album ASAP, my swag is undeniable and my drive is indescribable, his love is supernatural his grace is that reliable…. the top is where I reside period, whether I make music or not, the king said so. But I will come with a vengeance believe that.”

To say it’s refreshing to watch artists take a break would be an understatement.

Though the music helps many of us endure our own hectic lives, burnout is real amongst the famous and talented too. It’s only right that they reach their best selves, especially if they continue sharing their art with the world.

The Biebs and Big Sean aren’t the first to speak about mental health breaks either. Hit the next pages for more quotes from artists who desperately needed some time off.

Ms. Lauryn Hill

Source: Jason Miller / Getty

“I’m just glad that… I don’t have to slave anymore. You know, ’cause… music was my love, and because of everything I thought had to accompany my music, it became my burden. It just got stolen from me. I said, ‘What is this? How did this thing that I love so much so easily and so quickly turn to something I loath and hate?’ And so now, you know, I understand that it was because I was measuring myself or trying to compare myself to a standard that wasn’t reality. It wasn’t the standard at all, you know.”

– MTV Unplugged 2.0 (2002)

Jazmine Sullivan

Source: Moses Robinson / Getty

“I’m making an official announcement that I am taking a break from music. I’m trying to figure out who I am… w/out a m[ic], paper or pen. I promised myself when it wasn’t fun anymore I wouldn’t do it. And here I am. I love u all and appreciate u soooooo much. U have no idea how much u’ve inspired me and fed my ego. But the truth is that I have to believe in me, whether you all do or not. And that’s what I’m lookin for. That belief in myself. Me. I love us. Thanks for being here for me and riding with me on this journey. Let us continue.”

– Series of 2011 tweets

Willow Smith

Source: Roger Kisby / Contributor / Getty

“I feel like I lost my sanity at one point. I had just stopped doing singing lessons, and I was kind of just in this gray area of ‘Who am I? Do I have a purpose? Is there anything I can do besides this?’ After the tour and the promotion and all that, they wanted me to finish my album. I was just like, no, I’m not going to do that.”

– Red Table Talk (2008)

Wale

Source: Shareif Ziyadat / Getty

“Man idk what I’m doin, but I know I need to make changes. Find my happiness, could this be phase one? I’ll be leaving you guys for a while.. my friend @issarae says it’s time to change up .. my man @renaldowilliams says it’s time.”

– Instagram post (2017)

Selena Gomez

Source: Frazer Harrison/AMA2015 / Getty

“I had to stop because I had everything, and I was absolutely broken inside. I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down, but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down.”

– American Music Awards speech (2016)

Missy Elliott

Source: FOX / Getty

“People hadn’t realized that I haven’t just been an artist, I’ve been a writer and a producer for other artists. When you’re writing that much, your brain is like a computer. You have [to] refresh it.”

– Billboard (2015)

Katy Perry

Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty

“I knew what I wanted to do when I was 9 years old, so everything else became secondary to that. I didn’t really pay attention to anything besides my craft — which is great, and I love it. I love making music, I love writing. But I don’t feel like I’m a part of a game anymore; I just feel like I’m an artist. I don’t feel like I have to prove anything, which is a freeing feeling.”

– Footwear News (2018)

Keri Hilson

Source: Jason Merritt / Getty

“I hit rock bottom a few times, and I’m crawling back to walking in my purpose…in my power and using my gifts. I think I had to give up music for awhile. I stepped away. I thought it would just be a year. It’s been six, maybe. I realize now that I’m grateful for all of those years. I have built myself back up.”

– Steve interview with psychic medium (2018)

Lil Wayne

Source: Paul Warner / Getty

“I picked up the skateboard, and I thought it’d be a hobby and what happened is it’s a lifestyle. You have to be fully committed because it’s super scary. In order to be fully committed you have to live that lifestyle. Like the young kids say, ‘You have to be about that life.’ It’s kind of putting rap on the back burner. I think I deserve that. I think fans deserve a little-to-no Wayne. I’ve been everywhere. I’ve been out on everybody’s song. I’m still on everybody’s song. My artists have been doing awesome. I believe the fans deserve some peace from me. So I’ll be on my skateboard in the meantime.”

– Hot 107.9 interview (2012)