Apple music paused when using Apple earpiece

Hi, I have read a few similar questions in the forum but those are not available for further replies.

So, I've got a 12, I would play Apple music with Apple wired earpiece plugged on while walking. Over the last few weeks I found the music keep pausing when I put the phone in my pocket. Otherwise it played smoothly without event when I held it in hand.

When the music paused, I would press the centrepiece on the earpiece to start playing. The music would pause again a few seconds later. After I have tried this a few times it will either skip to the next music and start pausing, or activate this 'voice control' function. No such nonsense occurred when I held it in hand with the same wired earpiece plugged on.

I wonder if it is due to some very smart Iphone features that I have yet to turn off, like tap to wake and auto-sync. While I understand airpods are widely used today, I would still like to use the wired earpiece. Is there anything I can do to keep the music playing?