Mother Muses - a musical moment
Self Portrait Lykke Li
“When I had my baby, I lost so much confidence in myself and my own body. I remember watching Beyoncé’s Lemonade on repeat for two weeks after I’d given birth and thinking, I’m never going to be able to do this, only Beyoncé can.”
To commemorate 2024, I’ve created a playlist dedicated to all the mothers and muses. On the playlist expect a haze of dream pop, shoegaze, folk, jazz and R&B from mothers through various ages of music. If you’ve been following us for a while you’ll know that music is such a huge part of the Radiant identify. I first created this playlist for me but after deep diving this personal playlist became too good not share. In my findings it felt reassuring all these great artists stories didn’t feel radical but universal. It’s incredible how we raise babies, find time to weave our creative endeavours and keep building. There is such a common thread through each chord progression: a spoken love language and camaraderie. You can listen to the playlist here on Spotify and below are the words to accompany. You’re welcome.
Neneh Cherry
Feminist and political singer Neheh Cherry appeared on Top of the Pops in 1988 pregnant in her third trimester with her daughter performing her breakout Buffalo Stance. After the performance, she was asked by a journalist if it was safe to go on stage in her condition; she rolled her eyes and said: “It’s not an illness.” If you watch the video clip Manchild (a personal favourite), which must have been filmed moments after she’d given birth, you’ll witness her in the video clip holding onto her newborn as if it was another day. I highly recommend you watch this. She is a mother to three daughters who are all musicians, and some are now collaborators.
Meg Remy art-pop artist also known as U.S Girls, gave birth to her twins in 2021. I’ve read a few interviews about her experience entering motherhood, she speaks blatantly about her experience of isolation and loneliness. She explained in an interview with Pitchfork Music that after giving birth, she spent long spells pumping and became transfixed by the device's steady pace.“It felt like a divine joke to be hearing this pump and instantly being like, ‘I gotta make a beat out of this.” And so the song “Pump,” featuring a churning electronic rhythm courtesy of a Medela Freestyle Flex breast pump was created. Hats off to all our mother’s of multiples.
Bjork & her son
Swedish artist Lykke Li is a newly second time mother, giving birth in August 2023. Her story of motherhood and her kids is woven all over her social media sharing sonnets and soft 35mm images of her family. After her first son she took a four year music. She quotes, “I took a four year break and it rekindled my gratitude of being able to have a place where I can express myself. Having a baby… it’s tough! I wasn’t feeling as strong or sexy, so I created this album and character for me to escape to and it helped me revert to Lykke the artist.” The model, muse and mesmerising pop idol speaks so frankly like so many of us after birth, “Getting back on track and getting back to your own body after you’ve had a baby is so powerful and an important period. When I had my baby, I lost so much confidence in myself and my own body. I remember watching Beyoncé’s Lemonade on repeat for two weeks after I’d given birth and thinking, "I'm never going to be able to do this, only Beyoncé can.”
Local artist Carla Del Forno artrock songwriter resides in the quaint but vibrant artistic village of Castlemaine. After living a touring life overseas in Berlin she moved home to Australia to raise her daughter Sally, a similar age to my own child. Now she is a mother of two. Her album Come Around released and recorded in Sally’s lifetime, a beachy airborne compilation reminds you of Australian summers spent in a shell pool with your kids. Dream-pop dreaming.
Jane Birkin & baby Charlotte Gainsbourg
Bjork, one of the most iconic individuals ever, birthed her son in at the rare age of twenty , six years before her debut album propelled a long and uncompromising solo career. Shortly after his birth she separated from his father moved to London raised him solo, yet still found the time to write iconic sonnets like Venus as a Boy (another personal fave) as well as mother. I found this beautiful quote from a very deep archive online that I loved (when asked about birth) she quotes: “On the whole, it was probably one of my favourite experiences.”
On a personal note, I've thoroughly enjoyed this little research project. Maybe some inspiration for your labour playlist or pop it on after school drop off. Some local, some international but all iconic.
Listen to the playlist here.