Idris Elba has announced he is planning on taking a break from his acting career to focus more on his music.
Elba, who performs DJ sets under the name “DJ Big Driis” (or Big Driis the Londoner), has been creating music since his first EP dropped back in 2006. In 2015, The Wire actor founded the 7Wallace Music record label, and in recent years he’s collaborated on numerous sets and performed at concerts and festivals, including Coachella in 2019.
@idriselba was in the zone 🔥🤩🤯😍 #Coachella #housemusic pic.twitter.com/1G8OVh0TLq
— 🖤✊🏿 (@AnomalyGray) April 14, 2019
Speaking with Vanity Fair, Elba said that he’s hoping fans will embrace his music as they have his acting career.
“Some may think, ‘Well, it will be the death of your acting if your music’s s—‘,” he said. “I’ve dealt with the internal struggle of that over the years. So now I’m at peace and I’ve chosen: This is what I’m doing, and I’m going to do it. Some will love it and some will hate it.”
Elba added that he will likely be “leaning away from the acting work” while he pursues his music career.
“The thing about making music is it’s a very consuming process. It’s very difficult to shoot a movie and then go off into the studio or make a song. It’s like trying to build a soufflé while making a brick wall,” Elba explained.
“I’m an actor so I typically say other peoples’ words, live the imagination of someone else and turn them into a character,” he continued. “When I’m making music or I’m part of a project, that comes from me – it’s not someone else’s thing that’s applied to me. I love words and I love storytelling. That’s the bond of peace between everyone.”
The Avengers star has long been rumored to take over the James Bond franchise, and while he didn’t directly comment on that role, we’re going to guess DJ Big Driis takes precedence over 007.
