Building a Support System: Why Mothers in Music Need Each Other

By Tiff Randol & Mary Leay

When we became mothers, we thought we had prepared for the sleepless nights, the breastfeeding mysteries, and the chaos of balancing work with parenting. But what we weren’t prepared for was how isolating it would feel—especially in an industry that thrives on visibility and relentless momentum. We knew the music world wasn’t built to support mothers, but experiencing that firsthand was something else entirely.

Motherhood brought a deep sense of fulfillment and wonder, along with clarity in one sense—but it also left us questioning everything in another. Why is becoming a mother taboo in this industry? Why is it something we’re expected to stay silent about? Holding our babies didn’t make us less creative—it expanded us. It made us more focused, more emotionally connected, more intentional. And it also birthed something else: Mamas in Music—the first global organization devoted entirely to supporting mothers in the music industry.

Where It Began

Mamas in Music didn’t start in a boardroom. It started with the two of us—two new mothers—showing up with babies in our laps, volunteering time we barely had. We weren’t trying to build an empire. We were looking for a connection. But what we uncovered was something much bigger: a global need for change.

We want to be clear: Mamas in Music isn’t a startup. It’s a collective-minded, volunteer-driven community created by mothers who saw a gap in the industry and decided to step into it—not because we had extra time or resources, but because we couldn’t not.

From the beginning, we’ve challenged the dynamics rooted in competition and capitalism that keep people divided and burned out. We believe in another way: one rooted in care, collaboration, and generosity. One where we build bridges through shared experience and create a culture that includes and honors us all.

We’ve been growing that vision at Mamas in Music for years. And while we still have a ways to go, we’ve already seen the ripple effect—mothers speaking up, allies stepping forward, and organizations beginning to prioritize caregivers. It’s working. And it’s only just beginning.

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The Unspoken Reality

Music is an industry built on long hours, last-minute opportunities, and relentless networking. Youth and availability are currency. While our peers were in late-night writing sessions, we were waking up at dawn with our kids. While artists were heading out on tour, we were navigating sleep deprivation and childcare logistics. Stepping away—even briefly—often felt like career suicide.

Motherhood shouldn’t mean losing our place in the industry. But the stigma is real. Too often, having kids is seen as a liability, a sign of being “less committed.” Many of us have lost opportunities, felt pressure to “catch up,” or watched doors quietly close simply because our priorities expanded beyond what the industry expects.

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Why We Need Each Other

Change doesn’t happen in isolation. We knew we couldn’t shift the industry alone. But together, we could build something different.

That’s why we created Mamas in Music—not just as a support network, but as a movement to rewrite the narrative. To rewire how the industry thinks about parenting and to focus on how the basic structures of a music career are often incompatible with caregiving—unless we intentionally redesign them.

Motherhood doesn’t mean pressing pause on our passion. And it shouldn’t mean sacrificing our careers just to claim the basic human right to be a parent—and a good one at that.

We’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when mothers support each other. When one of us can’t take a gig because of childcare, another steps in. When someone is struggling with postpartum depression, others rally with support. When a mother feels lost in the chaos of parenting, we remind her: she is still a manager, an artist, a professional, a songwriter, a composer—she is still her.

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Asking for Help is Strength

One of the biggest hurdles mothers in music face is the belief that we have to do it all alone. We don’t. And we shouldn’t.

Asking for help—whether it’s leaning on partners, hiring childcare, collaborating remotely, or reaching out to a fellow music mama—isn’t a failure. It’s survival. It’s how we keep creating.

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What Comes Next

We’ve released three seasons of the Mamas in Music Podcast, dropped four collaborative production albums with BMG, APM, and MPATH, launched our first song camp for mothers, and helped members land showcase spots, placements, and gigs. We’ve hosted expert panels on everything from sync and touring to mental health, pitching, and business strategy—and we’re just getting started.

To date, we’re growing 11 chapters across 5 countries, with members all over the world. Our community is vibrant, evolving, and full of mothers lifting each other up as we organize, collaborate, and bring our collective talents to the table.

This blog and resource hub is another layer—a space to share knowledge, amplify stories, and support each other through the wild, beautiful intersections of music and motherhood.

We love this community deeply, and want to say a special thanks to the individuals and organizations who’ve helped us get here. Thanks all!  We hope you enjoy our Mamas in Music Blog & Resource Hub!

With love,

 Tiff & Mary