Chase Rice is taking a break in 2026. The singer-songwriter shares the news on social media, revealing that he needs to take this year off to focus on himself.
“Alright everybody, I wasn’t sure whether I was gonna talk about this or not but here we are,” Rice begins. “I’ve been touring for 13 years and I’ve lived a dream far greater than I could’ve ever expected. This isn’t a goodbye thing or anything like that to be clear upfront, although it may feel like that, but I’m exhausted. I haven’t been able to be myself on stage in quite a while and really enjoy music and why I got into it in the first place.
“I love songs, I love living them, hearing stories from other people, and figuring out how to put that life into music,” he adds. “After 13 years it’s finally beat me up to the point where I need to step away for a while. I need to go live life so that I have more real experiences to write down.”
Chase Rice Reveals His Touring Plans for 2026
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Rice is a songwriter on “Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line’s debut single, which came out in 2012. He has also written songs for other artists, and released several albums on his own, including his latest Eldora record. Now 40 years old, Rice is ready for a break.
“I won’t be touring this year,” Rice remarks. “And it wasn’t even really a decision, it was something I know that I just have to do for myself. A lot of artists do this all the time, but it’s new for me so it’s kind of a big deal in my life. To my band and crew, I love y’all. You’ve seen me at my worst yet you still love me back like I’ve lived my best. I hope we can all get together in the coming years and get back to enjoying life on the road again.
“To any fans that have followed me along this journey, I love y’all too,” he adds. “You have truly made a dream of mine come true. I’ve got a handful of shows this year, but it will not look like anything like what I’ve done the last 13 years of my life. I hope this year brings new experiences for me to put into songs that will make y’all happy. Until then, thanks for the ride.”
Chase Rice’s Decision to Release Music Independently
Rice’s last two albums, both Go Down Singin‘ and Eldora, were released independently. After releasing several albums on a major label, Rice wanted to have complete control, and make music his way, and on his terms.
“I’m in love with music,” Rice told American Songwriter at the time. “I’m not overthinking anything. I’m not having to wait on an album cycle. I’m not having to wait 52 weeks for a single to pop to drop the album. I have the ability to write songs and record them as they’re written.”
Photo Credit: Evan DeStefano