A lot of mothers in leadership know the feeling of trying to hold it all together - supporting a team, building a career, raising a family, and somehow finding space for themselves along the way. For Stephanie Hutchinson, those experiences have shaped not only the way she leads, but the kind of industry she wants to help build.

In this episode, Stephanie reflects on her journey from co-founding Chronograph Records to leading programming and initiatives at the National Music Centre, all while raising two children. We talk about how motherhood changed her perspective on leadership, why creating family-friendly workplaces matters, and how small shifts in policy and culture can make a big difference for working parents.

She shares what she's learned about balancing ambition with family life, the importance of shared responsibility at home, and why having more women in leadership isn't just about representation. It's about creating workplaces where more people can thrive.

We get into:

• Balancing leadership, motherhood, and a career in music
• Building workplaces that support parents and caregivers
• Why flexibility and trust are essential for healthy teams
• Sharing the mental load at work and at home
• How motherhood has shaped her approach to leadership
• Creating meaningful change from within the music industry
• Why representation in decision-making roles matters

Throughout the conversation, Stephanie reminds us that leadership doesn't always happen on the biggest stages. Often, it starts with the choices we make every day, from the way we support our colleagues, advocate for our communities, and create space for others to succeed.

This episode is for anyone leading a team, building a career, raising a family, or wondering how to create meaningful change without sacrificing the things that matter most. It's an honest conversation about leadership, motherhood, and the quiet ways we can shape a more supportive future for the people who come after us.

Thanks for being part of this conversation. Mother Makes Music is all about honesty, connection, and reminding each other that we’re not doing this alone. If this episode spoke to you, we’d love for you to share it and keep the conversation going.

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok @mothermakesmusic

Mother Makes Music is hosted by Megan McKay
Podcast Artwork by Emily Pond
Podcast Theme by Matty McKay
Funding generously provided by Calgary Arts Development

A lot of women in music are told, directly or indirectly, that becoming a mother means putting their careers on hold. For singer-songwriter Annika, that hasn’t been the case. Instead, motherhood has become part of the way she approaches her career, creativity, and life as a whole.

In this episode, Annika shares what it’s looked like to build a music career while raising a family, navigating grief, and learning to let go of the idea that success has to follow a certain path. We talk about the realities of balancing creative work with parenting, the mental load that so many mothers carry, and how priorities naturally shift through different seasons of life.

She opens up about the support systems that have helped her continue creating, the importance of working with people who respect her boundaries, and how personal loss has shaped both her resilience and her perspective on what matters most.

We get into:

• Balancing motherhood and a creative career
• The hidden mental load many mothers carry
• Building a team and support system that aligns with your values
• Navigating grief, loss, and major life transitions
• Letting go of traditional ideas of success
• Creating space for both family and creativity
• Why different seasons of life call for different priorities

Throughout the conversation, Annika reflects on how motherhood has deepened her understanding of herself as both an artist and a parent. Rather than seeing family and career as competing priorities, she shares how they've become interconnected parts of a life she's intentionally building.

This episode is for mothers, artists, creatives, and anyone who's ever felt pressured to choose between the things they love. It's an honest conversation about identity, resilience, grief, ambition, and learning that fulfillment doesn't have to fit someone else's definition of success. Sometimes it starts with giving yourself permission to build a life that works for you.

Thanks for being part of this conversation. Mother Makes Music is all about honesty, connection, and reminding each other that we’re not doing this alone. If this episode spoke to you, we’d love for you to share it and keep the conversation going.

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok @mothermakesmusic

Mother Makes Music is hosted by Megan McKay
Podcast Artwork by Emily Pond
Podcast Theme by Matty McKay
Funding generously provided by Calgary Arts Development

For a lot of working parents, balance can feel more like a moving target than something you ever fully achieve, especially in an industry as demanding and unpredictable as music. For Carly Klassen, executive director of Alberta Music and mom of two, motherhood completely reshaped the way she approaches both work and life.

In this episode, Carly opens up about navigating postpartum depression during the pandemic, returning to work after maternity leave, and learning how to build a career that works with her family instead of against it. We talk about the pressure to constantly be available, the emotional weight of leadership, and the ongoing challenge of setting boundaries in careers that rarely slow down.

She shares how becoming a parent changed her definition of success, why flexibility has become essential in both her work and home life, and how community and support systems can make all the difference.

We get into:

• Navigating motherhood while leading within the music industry
• Returning to work after maternity leave
• The reality of mom guilt and work-life boundaries
• Building flexibility into demanding careers
• How COVID shifted perspectives on parenting and productivity
• Overcoming imposter syndrome and redefining success
• Why supportive workplaces matter for parents in music and the arts

Throughout the conversation, Carly reflects on how motherhood has influenced her leadership style and strengthened her desire to create more inclusive, sustainable spaces within the industry.

This episode is for working parents, industry professionals, creatives, and anyone trying to build a career without losing themselves in the process. It’s an honest conversation about ambition, boundaries, mental health, and learning that balance doesn’t have to look perfect to still work for you.

Thanks for being part of this conversation. Mother Makes Music is all about honesty, connection, and reminding each other that we’re not doing this alone. If this episode spoke to you, we’d love for you to share it and keep the conversation going.

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok @mothermakesmusic

Mother Makes Music is hosted by Megan McKay
Podcast Artwork by Emily Pond
Podcast Theme by Matty McKay
Funding generously provided by Calgary Arts Development

A lot of parents feel like they’re constantly trying to keep everything moving at once with work, family, creativity, responsibilities, and the never-ending mental load that comes with all of it. But for musician and mom Ellen Doty, motherhood didn’t pull her away from creativity, it changed the way she approaches it entirely.

In this episode, Ellen opens up about how becoming a mother reshaped both her life and her art. We talk about the shift in priorities that comes with parenthood, the challenge of finding time and energy to create, and the surprising ways motherhood has made her more reflective, grounded, and connected to her work.

She shares what it actually looks like to keep a creative career alive in the middle of busy family life, from writing songs during nap times to squeezing in work late at night, and why letting go of unrealistic expectations has been an important part of the process.

We get into:

• Finding creative time in the middle of parenting and everyday chaos
• How motherhood changed her relationship with music and creativity
• The importance of community and support for working parents in the arts
• Navigating the mental load of career, creativity, and family life
• Letting go of perfection and redefining what balance looks like
• Why creativity can become a source of connection instead of pressure

Throughout the conversation, Ellen challenges the idea that motherhood and artistry are somehow at odds with each other. Instead, she shares how parenting has deepened her perspective, strengthened her creativity, and helped her approach both motherhood and music with more intention.

This episode is for creative parents trying to hold onto the parts of themselves they love while raising a family, or anyone who’s ever wondered if there’s still room for ambition, art, and creativity after becoming a parent. It’s an honest reminder that sometimes creativity doesn’t disappear in motherhood - it just evolves alongside you.

Thanks for being part of this conversation. Mother Makes Music is all about honesty, connection, and reminding each other that we’re not doing this alone. If this episode spoke to you, we’d love for you to share it and keep the conversation going.

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok @mothermakesmusic

Mother Makes Music is hosted by Megan McKay
Podcast Artwork by Emily Pond
Podcast Theme by Matty McKay
Funding generously provided by Calgary Arts Development

A lot of women grow up feeling like they have to choose between career or family, ambition or balance, success or happiness. But for Lisette Xavier, motherhood completely changed the way she sees all of it.

In this episode, the singer, TV host, and mom opens up about becoming a parent at a young age and how it pushed her to build a life that actually feels good to live, not just one that looks successful from the outside. We talk about the pressure of trying to “do it all,” the guilt that can come with working motherhood, and the constant process of figuring out what really matters in each season of life.

Lisette shares what it looks like to balance a demanding creative career while staying grounded in her role as a mom, and why protecting her peace, her boundaries, and her support system has become so important.

We get into:

• The reality of balancing motherhood with a busy career
• Why life and career priorities naturally shift in different seasons
• The importance of having a small but strong support system
• Letting go of the pressure to do everything perfectly
• Protecting your mental and emotional health as a creative parent
• Staying connected to your “why” when life feels overwhelming

Throughout the conversation, Lisette challenges the idea that success has to come at the expense of happiness or family life. Instead, she talks about building a life that reflects your values, even if it looks different from what people expect.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt stretched thin, overwhelmed, or unsure if balance is even possible. It’s an honest reminder that fulfillment doesn’t have to mean doing everything perfectly. It can simply mean building a life that feels authentic to you.

Thanks for being part of this conversation. Mother Makes Music is all about honesty, connection, and reminding each other that we’re not doing this alone. If this episode spoke to you, we’d love for you to share it and keep the conversation going.

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok @mothermakesmusic

Mother Makes Music is hosted by Megan McKay
Podcast Artwork by Emily Pond
Podcast Theme by Matty McKay
Funding generously provided by Calgary Arts Development

Most touring musicians are juggling a lot, but when you add kids into the mix, it becomes a whole different kind of balancing act. Amber Bauer, a Canadian musician and mom of two, is right in the middle of it. She’s living proof that motherhood and a music career don’t have to cancel each other out, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

In this episode, Amber gets real about what it actually looks like to bring your kids on the road, and the trade-offs that come with it. From postpartum anxiety while touring to the everyday weight of mom guilt, she shares the parts people don’t always talk about.

We get into:

• What it’s really like managing babies on the road (spoiler: it’s a bit chaotic)
• The reality of childcare when your job doesn’t stay in one place
• How her career unexpectedly grew after becoming a mom
• Her unconventional path into music
• Why having a strong support system makes all the difference
• And what she’s dreaming up next, including overseas living and online teaching

Amber also challenges a lot of the assumptions around working moms in music. Instead of framing it as choosing between career or family, she talks about making decisions that actually line up with your values, even when they’re hard.

This one’s for:

• Musicians who want a family but aren’t sure how it fits
• Parents trying to make a non-traditional career work
• Anyone craving an honest take on chasing big dreams while raising kids

At the end of the day, Amber’s story isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about figuring out what works for you, leaning on your people, and being okay with a little chaos along the way.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can build a life that holds both your ambitions and your family, this episode might shift how you see it.

Thanks for being part of this conversation. Mother Makes Music is all about honesty, connection, and reminding each other that we’re not doing this alone. If this episode spoke to you, we’d love for you to share it and keep the conversation going.

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok @mothermakesmusic

Mother Makes Music is hosted by Megan McKay
Podcast Artwork by Emily Pond
Podcast Theme by Matty McKay
Funding generously provided by Calgary Arts Development

A lot of moms in music (and honestly, in any demanding career) know the feeling - you’re constantly juggling. Ambition, guilt, love for your work, love for your family… and somehow trying to hold it all together without dropping anything important.

In this first episode of Mother Makes Music, Megan McKay gets real about what that actually looks like. Not the polished version, but the messy, in-between moments. From traveling with artists to missing big milestones at home, she shares what it feels like to live in that constant push and pull, and the quiet loneliness that can come with it.

This conversation digs into the pressure to “do it all,” and how that expectation can leave you feeling like you’re never quite enough, at work or at home. Megan opens up about the guilt, the second-guessing, and the moments that stick with you long after the day is done.

Inside the episode, she talks about:

• Figuring out which things really matter, and which ones can wait
• What it’s like to feel pulled between two versions of yourself
• Navigating mom guilt in an industry that doesn’t run 9–5
• How sharing these experiences can actually create connection instead of isolation
• And how we might start redefining success in a way that actually includes motherhood

At the heart of it, this episode is a reminder: if you’ve ever felt torn, stretched thin, or like you’re falling short somewhere, you’re not the only one.

This is for the moms in music, the people who support them, and anyone trying to balance big dreams with real life. It’s not about having it all perfectly. It’s about figuring it out as you go, and maybe feeling a little less alone along the way.

Thanks for being part of this conversation. Mother Makes Music is all about honesty, connection, and reminding each other that we’re not doing this alone. If this episode spoke to you, we’d love for you to share it and keep the conversation going.

Follow along on Instagram and TikTok @mothermakesmusic

Mother Makes Music is hosted by Megan McKay
Podcast Artwork by Emily Pond
Podcast Theme by Matty McKay
Funding generously provided by Calgary Arts Development