Jen Majura, Ex-Evanescence Guitarist Leaves Music Amid AI

German guitarist Jen Majura, known for her work with Evanescence, Equilibrium, Knorkator, and other metal acts, has announced an indefinite step back from the music industry.

In a heartfelt Instagram post on June 11, she cited her disconnect with “the music industry’s current values,” AI‑related shifts, and broader societal changes as central to her decision.

What Did Jen Majura’s Post Say?

Jen Majura went to Instagram to say the following:

“Dear friends
I‘m gonna make this as brief as I can:
After careful consideration, observing what‘s going on in the music industry, AI related developments and change in society I‘ve come to the conclusion to step away.

Some of you have heard me talk about this quite a while ago. Instead of wasting another year of my life constantly hoping for new energy, drive and creativity, I‘ve reached a point in my life where I can confidentially lean back in peace. While time allowed me, I was able to collect an amazing amount of beautiful experiences, tours, shows, travels and moments! I am grateful for every bit of that, but the world has changed.” She went on to say:

“I can confidently make up my mind to stop.
I am not saying that I will never create any music again, whether recorded or live – but for now I feel there are healthier and better things to fill my life with good vibes and not deal with the overwhelming amount of ridiculousness that comes with the music industry now days.” Continuing with: ” I just can’t identify with today‘s attitude and values anymore.”

I wholeheartedly want to wish all the ambitious and remaining „creators“, young and old, all the best. With time, the meaning will become clearer.

To you, the fans, I wanna give you a giant virtual hug and say THANK YOU for all your support, love and faith throughout these years of me being an active touring musician, I am grateful.

As a final musical endeavor I wanna share 4 tracks with you. Songs that were written over a decade ago together with the great guitarist Dennis Hormes. I found these old demo recordings while cleaning out stuff from my computer and thought they are too good to not be shared. So if you made it this far and read the whole post, I assume you actually ARE someone that truly cares and these 4 singles are for you!”

Why Now? AI’s Bold Arrival & Industry Stress

Majura’s post explained she could “confidently lean back in peace,” no longer willing to “waste another year…hoping for new energy, drive, and creativity.” She specifically pointed to AI’s growing influence, such as machine learning repurposing artist works without consent, as a major red flag, saying, “the world has changed,” and she no longer identifies with “today’s attitude and values.”

A Storied Rock Career

• Began: pulled double duty in German bands since 2000
• Evanescence: joined in 2015, featured on Synthesis (2017) and The Bitter Truth (2021), departed in 2022
• Recent projects: played on Mike Mangini’s Invisible Signs (2023), co‑founded How We End, and contributed vocals in various metal collaborations

Majura says it’s not a full goodbye—she plans to share four unheard tracks from earlier sessions with guitarist Dennis Hormes as a final musical gesture to fans.

A Crossroads for Musicians

Majura’s choice reflects a broader trend in the music world grappling with AI’s rapid integration. While some artists harness AI, like Paul McCartney remixing Beatles classics or Alex Van Halen working on unreleased riffs, others worry it erodes creative integrity and livelihood. GuitarPlayer notes increasing artist anxiety over AI’s potential to blur human creativity and disrupt income streams.

Fans React: Respect and Concern

Reddit fans echoed support and solidarity. One user remarked:

“I just can’t identify with today’s attitude and values anymore” resonates—a fair reason to bow out.

Comments praised her honesty, with many relating to concerns over AI infiltration in the creative arts.

Looking Ahead 

While Majura withdraws from the industry, she hasn’t ruled out future creativity. For now, she’s focusing on well-being and authenticity. Her exit invites reflection on the future of music careers: How will artists renegotiate their relationships with evolving technology, values, and business models?

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