The “women can have it all” concept, born in the 1980s, was designed to empower women to believe that balancing family and career was not only attainable but expected. It was also a trope that some would argue built a house of unrealistic expectations, guilt and burnout. Now, there is a growing trend among some high-profile Black celebrities who are openly challenging that expectation and normalizing stepping away. Among them is neo soul icon Jill Scott, whose “To Whom It May Concern” album was released on Feb. 13, a decade after her last full-length album, Woman.
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Scott, 53, told PEOPLE that after some bad romantic decisions and a prickly divorce, she’s learned not to share so openly, adding: “But I also deeply believe that an artist is meant to bare the soul. Billie Holiday was sad, and I didn’t understand it until I got sad, until my heart was broken.”
The three-time Grammy winner shared that over the last decade, her focus has been on her son, Jett, who will be 17 in April. “I needed time to be with my family, raise my kid to the best of my ability,” she told the outlet. “I’m in the middle of menopause right now,” she added. “I’m different in ways that I didn’t intend on being different, but I’m here, and I love what I do. It’s a thrill and a privilege.”
Scott’s story reflects a broader pattern in the entertainment industry. In 2010, a 28-year-old Beyoncé took a break from a grueling schedule, citing a need to “recharge my batteries.” Her documentary “Year of 4” captured the self-proclaimed workaholic’s work ethic.
Ten years later, Teyana Taylor announced she was stepping back from the music industry after feeling underappreciated and deciding to pivot to acting. In February, she told TIME that the public breakdown of her marriage to Iman Shumpert and her time away from music (she would eventually release “Escape Room” in 2025) left her with talking points. “I had experienced love. I had experienced heartbreak. I had experienced healing,” the 2026 Golden Globe winner said.
Another high-profile example is Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, who withdrew from multiple events at the 2021 Tokyo Games, citing mental health concerns and disorienting “twisties” that threatened her safety. Her decision ignited global discussion about the pressure that elite performers face and the power to choose well-being over expectation.
These choices to step away are particularly significant for Black women. For them, the decision is often stigmatized as a failure to uphold a cultural expectation of the Black woman under the “Superwoman” standard, which pegs her as continuously resilient, often at the expense of her own well-being. Black women have consistently reported some of the highest levels of workplace burnout, to the tune of 88 percent, according to CNBC, and notoriously take care of everyone but themselves.
But stepping away can also create the space to redefine what fulfillment looks and feels like. As for Scott, she’s embracing this new chapter: “I’ve been waiting to be this age and in this place my whole life. I’m speaking from time and growth, some failures, and beautiful successes. I’m really happy to be here,” she told PEOPLE.
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