Country artist Chase Rice has announced a significant hiatus from touring, citing profound exhaustion after 13 years on the road. In a candid and vulnerable social media post, Rice confessed that he was “exhausted” and hadn’t been able to be himself on stage or truly enjoy music “in quite a while.” He expressed a deep need to “step away for a while” to “go live life” and accumulate “more real experiences to write down.”

Other than a handful of scheduled dates, Rice will not be touring in 2026 and has not provided a specific timeline for his return to performing. He emphasized that the decision “wasn’t even really a decision, it was something I know that I just have to do for myself.” While acknowledging that other artists take time off, he noted that this is a new and significant transition for him personally, stating, “It’s new for me so it’s kind of a big deal in my life.”

Rice reassured fans that “this isn’t a goodbye thing or anything like that to be clear upfront, although it may feel like that.” However, he later bid farewell to his band and crew, expressing a hope that they can all “get together in the coming years and get back to enjoying life on the road again.” He concluded his message by hoping the time off will provide him with “new experiences to put into songs that will make [fans] happy,” signing off with “Until then, thanks for the ride.”

Rice’s music career spans over a decade, with his first major success as a songwriter occurring in 2012 when he co-wrote Florida Georgia Line’s massive hit “Cruise.” After self-releasing two sets of his own, he signed with Columbia, releasing his first album for the label, 2014’s Ignite the Night, which climbed to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. He later switched to BMG’s Broken Bow Records, where he achieved two No. 1s on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart: “Eyes On You” in 2018 and “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen,” which reunited him with Florida Georgia Line, in 2020. In 2024, Rice exited Broken Bow and began releasing music independently, with his most recent work being Eldora, released in September.