Parenting Panel with Madame Z
Parenthood changes everything - but it doesn’t have to mean putting your creative dreams on hold. For many artist parents, music and family life do not exist in separate worlds; instead, they interact in surprising, beautiful and often chaotic ways.
In this exclusive parenting panel interview, we sit down with Madame Z - a musician, parent, and full time professional who has learned to navigate the ever shifting balance between raising a family and nurturing a creative career.
From writing songs between soccer practice and bedtime stories, to involving her kids in the recording process, Madame Z opens up about how parenthood has not only influenced her music - it has transformed it.
With honesty and heart, she shares how becoming a parent has given her creativity new depth, how imperfection became part of her artistic process, and how music has become a living legacy that she is building for, and with, her children.
Whether you are a fellow artist parent, or are simply curious about how creativity survives in the midst of family life, this conversation offers inspiration, warmth, and a reminder that it is perfectly okay to make it up as you go along.
Did you have fears or concerns about how becoming a parent would interfere with your artistic endeavors?
This was never something I gave much thought to - at least, not beyond the challenge of balancing time. I was involved in music and played in bands in my teens, but then I stepped away from it for many years. By the time I found my way back to music, I had already been a mother for quite a while. So for me, it wasn’t about how motherhood might affect music, but the opposite: how would making time for music—myself and my creative passions - affect my family?
Especially since I was already in a demanding, unrelated career, the question became: how could I create space for my own needs and desires without taking away from my children? Music has always been a form of therapy for me, deeply personal and healing, and I’m grateful that my family has been incredibly supportive of this part of who I am. Now, with my children becoming musicians too, it’s evolved into something we share together - something that’s become a family endeavor in its own right.
In what ways has parenthood helped your creativity, if any?
My children never cease to amaze me. They’re at the heart of nearly every decision I make and have offered me invaluable feedback, insight, and inspiration - especially when it comes to music. Many of the songs I write center around themes of strength, resilience, hope, and envisioning a brighter future. These are messages I hope they’ll carry with them, even if the deeper meaning only resonates years from now.
Music is timeless, and I’m not creating just for myself - I’m creating for them, and for the generations that will follow. Long after I’m gone, I hope these songs continue to speak to them, offering perspective on where they come from and reminding them of the ancestors who walked before them and still watch over them.
What has parenthood taught you about yourself, your music, or your creative process?
Parenthood is just about as unpredictable as the music industry. You can only control your own choices and how you respond to what life throws your way. Every child is different, and no matter how much you plan or think you’ve nailed the “perfect parent” role, kids will surprise you. They’ll disarm you, say the wildest things, and—especially now that I’m raising teenagers—be completely irrational and emotional at times.
They’ve taught me to let go of rigidity, to embrace both the tough moments and the beautiful ones, and to not take life so seriously. Parenting is a rollercoaster, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. It’s full of lessons - many of which have reshaped my core beliefs and directly influenced who I am, including how I approach my music.
I don’t think most people fully grasp what it means to be truly selfless until they become a parent. Nothing hits home more than having to put another life’s needs ahead of your own. Honestly, I never planned on having kids. I became a mother young, and in many ways, we grew up together - learning from each other along the way. My children have helped me understand myself more deeply than anyone else ever has. Even if they didn’t realize it, they’ve been part of my healing journey and a source of strength and resilience through the unknown.
So much of who I am today - creatively, emotionally, spiritually - I owe to them.
How do you juggle your family and your career? Who’s your support system?
Great questions! It’s difficult- I have a very demanding full time corporative executive-level career (completely unrelated to music – my master’s degree is in geographical field), plus the kids/family, and then music generally takes the backseat to my “other lives”. I could not do it without a supportive base and ultimately an incredible partner.
They go above and beyond to support me, the kids, our household, and pets…all while being caught in a fulltime career themselves. I absolutely could not do it alone at this point in the game. They also support and encourage my musical endeavors. I joined a rock cover band early this year (just to throw some extra chaos into the mix) and there has been nothing but excitement and encouragement from my immediate family (my parents are a completely different story and that would be a novel to write). It’s less of a juggle and more of a daily dance - imperfect, messy, but fueled by passion and the people who have my back. Without my support system, none of this would be possible.
What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you became a parent? Any advice for others?
One thing I wish someone had told me before I became a parent is that you’re not supposed to have all the answers - and that’s okay.
There’s this pressure to be perfect, to do everything "right," and to always know what to do. But the truth is, parenting is a constant evolution. You learn as you go, and your children teach you just as much as you teach them. It's messy, unpredictable, and sometimes overwhelming - but it's also beautiful, humbling, and transformative.
I think I would’ve given myself a lot more grace early on if I had truly understood that growth—both mine and theirs—is part of the process.
Do your children inspire / inform your music?
Absolutely - my children are a huge source of inspiration in my music. They influence not only what I write about, but also how I approach the creative process. So many of my songs carry themes of strength, resilience, healing, and hope—messages I hope will resonate with them, whether now or later in life.
In many ways, they’ve helped me reconnect with my own voice. Their perspectives, emotions, and even their challenges have deepened my understanding of myself, which naturally flows into my music. Sometimes it's intentional, other times it's subconscious—but they're always there, woven into the fabric of what I create.
And now that they’ve become musicians themselves, it’s even more powerful. Music has become something we share, something that connects us beyond words. That’s a gift I don’t take for granted.
Have you ever written a song for or about your kids? If so please share a description and a link.
Yes - I wrote a song specifically for my daughter which I released on her 13th birthday (she’s almost 17 now). I have two boys as well and this message certainly carries over to them too. My daughter did the artwork for the cover. 😊
Listen to Madame Z’s latest release “Save The World” here:
Find out more about Madame Z on her Website