Teyana Taylor wasn’t expecting to make an album after walking away from music in 2020, a choice she opened up about in her TIME Women of the Year interview published Thursday (Feb. 26), along with why she ultimately ended up returning with Escape Room in 2025.
Related
Teyana Taylor Reveals Advice Beyoncé Gave Her About Dealing With ‘Isolating’ Music Industry
Billboard Women in Music 2026 to Honor Teyana Taylor, Tate McRae, Ella Langley & More
Teyana Taylor Explains What Really Happened in Viral Clip of Leonardo DiCaprio Discussing ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ at the Golden Globes
While speaking to the publication, the singer-actress was frank about her reasons for stepping back. Beyond having ambitions outside of music — which would ultimately lead to her Golden Globe-winning performance in One Battle After Another — Taylor says she felt unappreciated by the industry.
“Everybody told me it was dumb,” she said of the decision. “And I was like, ‘No, I am going to be a great actress. One day, I am going to be a great director.’”
After focusing on screen projects for a few years, Taylor did eventually come back to the studio, having realized that she had more to say about her own life via songwriting. “I had something to talk about,” she told TIME. “I had experienced love. I had experienced heartbreak. I had experienced healing.”
Those personal changes included a divorce in 2023 after about eight years of marriage to Iman Shumpert, with whom she shares two children, and a new romance with Aaron Pierre in 2025. The result of her looking inward musically was Escape Room, which dropped Aug. 22 and debuted at No. 67 on the Billboard 200 before snagging a Grammy nomination for best R&B album (which ultimately went to Leon Thomas’ Mutt at the Feb. 1 awards).
As for what she wants to do next? “I would love the EGOT,” Taylor told the publication. “And if I don’t get that Tony, guess what that T is gonna stand for? Teyana.”
See Taylor on the cover of TIME below.
View this post on Instagram
Hence then, the article about teyana taylor recalls quitting music after feeling underappreciated everybody told me it was dumb was published today ( ) and is available on billboard ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Teyana Taylor Recalls Quitting Music After Feeling Underappreciated: ‘Everybody Told Me It Was Dumb’ )
Also on site :
- Sacramento's I Street bridge project clears major financial hurdle, bids for construction open in 1 month
- Is Luke Thompson Returning to ‘Bridgerton’ Season 5? Star Breaks Silence on Benedict’s Future (Exclusive)
- AIxC Hub Surpasses 4.8M Registered Wallets, Introduces New Season, and Announces "Agentir" for AI Agents