Idris Elba has said he is planning to “lean away” from acting so he can spend more time making music.
“Some may think, ‘Well, it will be the death of your acting if your music’s s**t.’ I’ve dealt with the internal struggle of that over the years,” he told Vanity Fair. “So now I’m at peace and I’ve chosen: This is what I’m doing, and I’m going to do it.
“Some will love it and some will hate it.”
The 49-year-old English actor has released several EPs and has appeared on recordings by acts like Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Jay-Z and Taylor Swift. He has also done a number of high-profile DJ sets – including at Coachella in 2019.
Elba showcased his baritone in the box office flop Cats.
In 2018, Elba launched his own label, 7Wallace Music. He is an executive producer of the debut album by Canada’s Emanuel.
Elba told Vanity Fair he will need to take on fewer acting gigs in order to focus on music.
“The thing about making music is it’s a very consuming process,” he said. “It’s very difficult to shoot a movie and then go off into the studio or make a song.
“It’s like trying to build a soufflé while making a brick wall.”