Skrillex took to Twitter last night on his birthday to share details of some personal hardships that he went through that had seriously affected his career. The posts came unexpectedly, as he is someone who’s never shared too much about his personal life, especially on social media.
He started off by saying that 2022 was the “toughest year” of his life and that he had found himself “with no drive and purpose for the first time.” He mentioned that he had never coped with the passing of his mother, which happened while he was on tour in South America. Instead, he “drank the pain away and kept going,” he said.
Skrillex then addressed his festival cancellations from last year. “[2022] was sort of my tipping point,” he wrote. “I had to put everything on ice, especially my projects/career. The truth is I didn’t cancel Sunset and Movement Festival because of my albums. It was because I was working on myself.”
He made it clear that these messages were now coming from a positive headspace. “For the first time in 4-5 years, I’ve found a new sense of peace. It took so much work and sacrifice to get here. The support you’ve all shown over the years does mean the world, and I’ll continue to work on myself and not get into a situation where I have to cancel shows / go into hiding.”
This string of tweets from Skrillex follows the beginning of a new era for the superstar DJ/producer. Over the past couple of weeks, he announced a potential double album (his first major body of work in nearly a decade), released two singles, and played a series of shows with Fred again.. and Four Tet.
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Had the toughest year of my life in 22, as did so many others. I literally found myself with no drive and purpose for the first time in my life
— Skrillex (@Skrillex) January 16, 2023
My mother passed away a few years back 2Nd day of Lalapalooza tour in SA. I never ever coped with it … I drank the pain away and kept going
— Skrillex (@Skrillex) January 16, 2023
People ask why “I’ve been gone” or “fell off”, rightfully so. Like I said , 22 was sort of my tipping point, I had to put everything on ice especially my projects/ career
— Skrillex (@Skrillex) January 16, 2023
the truth is I didn’t cancel sunset and movement festival because of my albums. It we because I was working on myself
— Skrillex (@Skrillex) January 16, 2023
For the first time in 4-5 years I’ve found a new sense of peace. It took so much work and sacrifice to get here.
— Skrillex (@Skrillex) January 16, 2023
Here’s to 35 laps around the sun and to the fucks I will no longer give 🫶
— Skrillex (@Skrillex) January 16, 2023
Lastly, the support you’ve all shown over the years does mean the world and I’ll continue to work on myself and not get into a situation where I have to cancel shows / go into hiding
— Skrillex (@Skrillex) January 16, 2023