Austin-based Americana artist Robert Ellis has made headlines after announcing his decision to permanently exit the realm of social media. On January 29, Ellis shared a heartfelt post with his followers, revealing a shift in priorities as he aims to concentrate more on his music and less on online presence.
In his announcement, Ellis emphasized that he is not retiring from music, but rather, he seeks to invest more time in what he truly values. “I want to narrow my focus to the things I truly care about—the things I actually believe offer something of value to the world,” he explained, firmly stating that music is a central part of that mission.
Ellis’s music career began in 2009 with the release of his debut record, The Great Rearranger. He reminisced about how music promotion used to rely heavily on in-person interactions, facilitated by local promoters who would spread the word about shows.
“We used to have a thing called promoters, and in each town the promoter would promote the show,” he recalled during a recent interview on the Pause/Play podcast. With the advent of social media, however, musicians have increasingly been expected to self-promote, managing not only their art but also their personal brands.
Ellis highlighted the mounting pressure on artists to become their own marketing teams. He expressed his growing concern about the toll this expectation took on his mental well-being.
“If I saw a post from Shakey Graves about some awesome show that he was playing, I would just instantly feel terrible sitting at my house, not doing anything,” he confided. This led him to question the perceived benefits of social media for musical careers.
“I stopped really believing all of the things that people say about social media in regards to how it could benefit a musician,” Ellis admitted. It became increasingly clear to him that disengaging from social media could free him to focus more on his art and cultivate genuine connections with his audience.
Following this realization, Ellis officially decided to step away from social media in January of this year. He wiped his Instagram history and secured his account by changing the password to a complex string of random characters, essentially locking himself out of the platform.
The only remnant of his social media presence is a singular post announcing his departure, despite the fact that more than 26,000 followers remain.
In lieu of social media, Ellis now communicates with his fans through an email list and prioritizes grassroots promotion for his shows, reminiscent of his early days in the industry.
“If I do an in-store at Waterloo, I feel like more people know about my show at the Mohawk than if I had made a hundred posts,” he noted, demonstrating his belief in the effectiveness of direct engagement over digital marketing methods.
So far, Ellis has not experienced any negative consequences from his withdrawal from social media. However, he acknowledges that his situation may not mirror that of many other artists.
“I’m in a slightly different place in my life and career than I know many people are,” he reflected. At 36 years old, with seven albums released and extensive touring experience spanning 15 years, Ellis feels confident in the support he has cultivated among his fans.
“I just didn’t feel like social media was a crucial part of that for me,” he said, further supporting his choice. Instead, he has found fulfillment in living in the moment and investing in his personal relationships.
“I feel like I just have a really beautiful, rich life full of music and people that I care about,” he expressed.
Ellis’s decision to withdraw from social media resonates as a bold statement, emphasizing the importance of mental health and genuine interactions in an era dominated by digital communication. His journey serves as a reminder to many artists evaluating the role of social media in their own creative lives.
image source from：kut
