On June 10, guitarist Jen Majura announced her exit from the music world. The former Evanescence member cited AI growth and industry changes as key factors in her decision.
“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,” wrote Majura on Instagram. She says that she no longer identifies with the attitudes and values of the industry and added, “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.”
Jen started playing with Evanescence in 2015, filling the spot left by Terry Balsamo and bringing guitar skills and vocals to shows. Majura also created two solo albums, Jen Majura in 2014 and InZENity in 2017.
Lead singer Amy Lee praised her talents when she joined, saying, “She plays like a supervillan, sings like an angel, and laughs like a great friend” on Facebook. She worked on two albums with the band, Synthesis and The Bitter Truth. Then, she left in 2022.
The band shared plans to shift Tim McCord to guitar, and Sick Puppies’ Emma Anzai stepped in to play bass. Majura said that the scrutiny following her departure from Evanescence was difficult to bear, and she compared it to going through a divorce. After Evanescence, she worked with Mike Mangini from Dream Theater on his 2023 album, Invisible Signs, and started a new band, How We End.
As a parting gift, fans can listen to four previously unreleased tracks that Majura discovered while cleaning her computer. Evanescence is still active and their latest single is “Afterlife.” They’ll start their next album in November.
