Why I Almost Quit Music — And Why I Came Back

After years of writing, recording, hustling, and dreaming — I found myself burnt out. My first real shot at the industry had fizzled. The label that signed me folded. The songs I poured my soul into never got the push they deserved. I was dealing with the weight of unrealized expectations and a growing voice in my head that asked, “Maybe you’re not cut out for this.”

It’s one thing to chase a dream when you’re young and full of fire. It’s another thing when real life sets in. Rent. Relationships. Responsibilities. Somewhere along the way, I stepped off the creative path. I told myself I needed to focus on being “practical.” I got a tech job in San Francisco. I got married. Had a child. Moved to South Florida. And for a while, I convinced myself it was enough. But the truth is, it wasn’t.

Even when I wasn’t recording, music never left me. I’d find myself humming melodies while washing dishes. Scribbling lyrics on napkins. Listening to old records late at night after the house was asleep. There was always a quiet ache—something inside me that wasn’t settled. Because deep down, I knew: I had unfinished business with music.

Then life shook things up again. My marriage ended. I was a single father, far from home, working jobs that paid the bills but didn’t light me up. And yet, even in that low moment, the music started finding its way back in.

I connected with reggae producers in South Florida. Sat in with bands. Started writing again. Nothing huge—no label, no buzz, no plans. Just me and the music. And that was the beginning of my return.

It wasn’t glamorous. But it was real. It reminded me that success isn’t about fame or streams. It’s about fulfilment. It’s about living aligned with what you were created to do. For me, that’s making music. Always has been.

Since then, I’ve built my own studio. I’ve trained my voice. I’ve busked on the Atlanta Beltline to face down the fear of performing. I’ve written songs that come straight from the core. Not because someone’s watching, but because I have to.

Music isn’t just what I do. It’s how I process life. It’s how I pray. It’s how I heal. And if my songs can help someone else feel a little less alone in their struggle, that’s the real win.

So yeah, I almost quit music but I’m still here.
And I’m just getting started.

– Tenor Blue