Motherhood can inspire a series of profound changes, not only personally but artistically as well. For many singers, becoming mothers affects their creative approaches, priorities and overall messages.
With Mother's Day just around the corner—the second Sunday in May in the United States and in other countries, May 10 in Mexico—the new mothers in Latin music are enlightening us on how motherhood has inspired their creativity.
(Also see our list of “25 Latin Songs to Celebrate Mother's Day”.)
This year, for example, Kali Uchis released Orquídeas, her fourth studio album. The production pays homage to Colombia's national flower, which symbolizes beauty and resilience, but is also a celebration of femininity in which the artist shares her thoughts as a new mother. Uchis revealed her first pregnancy with longtime partner, rapper Don Toliver, in the music video for her double track. “Tu Corazón Es Mío” / “Diosa”.
Another touching story comes from the Colombian couple Greeicy and Mike Bahía, who chose it music video for their 2022 single 'Att: Amor' as a tender announcement of their impending parenthood. The song's refrain, “Whenever there's love, we'll witness the most beautiful creation,” resonates with their fans.
Cazzu, another key figure in the modern Latin music scene, caused a stir when she announced that she was expecting her partner Christian Nodal's child. During a concert at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires, she dramatically shed her white coat to show off her baby bump, turning her performance into a personal moment.
Below, Kali Uchis, Yuridia, Greeicy and more women in Latin music share how motherhood has expanded and deepened their creative process, in their own words.
Additional reporting by Ingrid Fajardo and Jessica Roiz.
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teal
Many beautiful things have happened to me in my life, but my #1 is definitely being a mother, because children elevate your life a thousand percent in every way. At the level of challenges, at the level of feelings, at the level of feelings, at the level of dreams, at the level of everything.
For me, as an artist – and I think it happens to all people, that what we develop begins to be born and built from another place, from another reality – music today is definitely born from another place. I always feel that my music is born from very beautiful and very deep places, [but] today I feel like I have new beginnings. It's like I have feelings that I haven't felt before that allow me to want to say other things, to be able to say different things, and I feel like that's the most special thing.
And the tours. Touring today has this touch of this new reality that I feel really connects with people. And that's what I feel at the moment in my shows when I play this song [“KAI,” dedicated to my son] — where I'm talking about that deep love, that beautiful love, people, whether they're parents or not — connect in a different way. So I feel like kids definitely make life that much more special.
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Hannah Nicole (Ha*Ash)
I feel that when a person comes out of themselves and is for someone else, they are the best version of a person. Because you get a chance to see someone else, care about someone else, think about someone else — and I feel like a better version of you comes out. You also see the world differently, as if you were a child again, with wonder.
The tours have changed, because now I'm traveling with someone else, my daughter, and I want to show her the world. This forces me to go to museums, to parks, to leave the hotel – to escape the routine that when I am not with her we are used to [fall into]. And that makes me enjoy traveling so much more, having someone to share it with.
In terms of composition, I have also become more sensitive. There's nothing that gets me more excited than finishing a song and feeling proud, and knowing that my daughter can also feel proud of something I'm doing makes it even more exciting.
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Jessi Leon (Periko & Jessi Leon)
Image source: Ricardo Vidal
Becoming a mother changed my life and filled me with a renewed energy and fierce determination that I never knew existed within me, and propelled me to new heights in the industry. It's like a whole new world of inspiration has been unlocked, allowing me to explore themes of love, resilience and growth in my art in ways I never imagined before. Today I'm living motherhood to the fullest and enjoying sharing everything I've accomplished in my career with “Milo”, he's also a true artist, and music connects us so much.
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Cali Uchis
Becoming a mom has been the most magical and transformative rebirth. My soul is happier, my heart stronger, my mind has found peace and joy that nothing else in the world could bring. Our son is living proof that dreams do come true.
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Juridia
For me, music has always been the love language between me and my children. I enjoy what I do more and more, because they accompany me wherever I go, and now that my eldest son has become a musician and plays bass on my tours, life in general is even sweeter.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/latina-artists-motherhood-influences-music/
