Where were you at in your music career when you had your first child? Was there much discussion about how that life choice would affect your career within the music/entertainment industry?

I was in my early thirties and eighth year at Sony Music Canada when I had my daughter, Mabel, late 2021. We were very much still in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions, where most of the music industry was shut down and we were working from home. So at that time, it was hard for me to fully imagine how becoming a parent would truly affect my day-to-day.

That said, I did put off having a child for many years to prioritize my career and I think COVID was partially the catalyst that made me realize life is too short. When I came back to work in the summer of 2023, it became apparent that my work-life balance would need to be adjusted, not only coming back as a mom but coming back after a long stretch of working from home and life without live music. I’m thankful to have an extremely supportive husband, who does not work in the same industry, and who will carry the parenting load for both of us when I need to be at a concert, work late, or travel.

As a working parent in the music industry, what are some of the biggest challenges you are facing?

I feel very lucky to work for a company that grants its employees flexibility and prioritizes balance as much as possible. That said, I am personally working on overcoming the mom guilt that I feel when I sometimes don’t make it home before bedtime or leave early in the morning before my daughter wakes up, or I must miss a weekend extracurricular of hers because I have to be on-site for work. Not getting the chance to see her for an entire day is hard on my family, but I’m grateful it doesn’t happen very often.

What is one change (big or small) within the industry that could make a positive impact for working parents?

A lot of companies are going back to fuller or full-time in office and I feel this is especially straining for parents. Eliminating your commute time so you could have more presence with your kids in the morning and at night is what made remote work beneficial. I know this is something all industries are debating, not just the music industry. As a working parent, I found that getting the extra time back in my day was vital, especially with a younger child who has more needs.

I also wish that some concerts started earlier in the evening, so you could bring your kids out to experience live music regularly. A lot of concerts don’t start until after kids' bedtimes, and it would be nice to involve and share the experience with them more often, which would positively foster an early appreciation for live music.

How do you find support and community with other working parents in or out of the music industry?

I haven’t had many opportunities to connect with working parents outside of my company, but I would like to! Like most parents, support for me means relying heavily on my or my husband’s parents and my close friends and family – none of who work in the industry. I would love to have playdates with fellow music-industry parents who have littles around my daughter's age.

What’s one specific example of an organization/venue/company doing something great to help support working parents?

I wish I knew of a specific example. I know some offices have a daycare in the building, and that’s something I wish ours had too. I know our old office location did, and I missed out on that amazing opportunity to keep my kid close by while I’m at work. I also know of some organizations (not in the music industry) that top-up 100% for maternity or paternity leave, and that would be another great benefit companies in our industry could offer to new parents who perhaps would take the extended leave if they could.

What could a music event (festival, conference, etc.), do or provide to make it easier for you to participate?

Baby/kid headphones are available on-site for rent. Real bathrooms vs. porta-potties that have more space and amenities for diaper changes. Strollers you can rent for when your little one gets tired.
Kid-friendly activities or a playground for when there’s a break at set times. And I mentioned this above, but earlier set times!

Can you shout out another music mama doing great things?

I’d love to shout out my colleague Elizabeth Phipps, the Sr. Director of Marketing at one of our sister labels, AWAL. Not only does Liz absolutely crush it at running the Canadian business for so many of my favourite artists, but she’s also such an amazing mom. I aspire to be like her both personally as a mom, and professionally!

I must also include my fellow Sony Music Canada mamas: Carey Riley (Director, Marketing), Sam Taus (Sr. Manager, Media Relations), Jelaina Whitney (Manager, Media Relations), Miranda Snyder (Sr. Manager, Media Relations) and Serena Wasylyszyn (Manager, International Marketing). Their endless support and wisdom truly made my transition back to work so much easier and I owe them so much for helping me navigate motherhood daily!