All moms rock, but they aren’t all genuine rock stars. Over the years, many of the women in rock and pop music have done an extraordinary job of showing that you can be a mom and keep up with the best of them. Sweetwater’s celebrating these wonderful women by highlighting seven of our favorites.
Beyoncé
From the moment Blue Ivy was born, Beyoncé has been in the spotlight as a mother. Her daughter’s birth was celebrated by magazines such as Vogue and teased by TV shows such as Saturday Night Live. But the pop icon didn’t just rise to the cultural and social pressures put on celebrity mothers. After the twins, Rumi and Sir, were born, Beyoncé transcended them.
After trying to keep up with her newborn daughter while living up to the image and insane schedule of a massive pop star, Beyoncé nearly burned out. Rather than repeat the ordeal with her second pregnancy, Beyoncé chose to use powerful images of her changing body to promote body acceptance and pride among new mothers. Today, her image of motherhood reaches far beyond her status as a pop star.
Patti Smith
She may be the godmother of punk, but, when people talk about exceptional mothers in modern music, Patti Smith is always one of the first to come up. After the birth of her son, Jackson, Smith left the spotlight for over a decade and a half, putting her career on hold to spend time with her family. Yet, when she came out of retirement in 1996, Smith immediately rekindled her popularity.
When she returned to music full-time, Patti Smith gained a reputation as a humanist and was held up as a feminist icon. While her example of strong motherhood is recognized everywhere, Smith’s influence resonates deeply throughout the music industry, inspiring many other artists, many who could easily be on this list, including Courtney Love and Madonna.
Gwen Stefani
Voted “Coolest Mom in Music” by iHeartRadio, Gwen Stefani is another highly visible and much respected mother in modern music. Somehow, Stefani pulled off something truly remarkable: she managed to find the perfect balance between motherhood and pop icon. And, with three boys in tow, she not only stays in the game, but she dominates it.
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow isn’t just an outstanding mother in music, she’s also a role model to independent women everywhere. By the time she faced a life-altering battle with breast cancer, Sheryl Crow had already long since established her place in rock history. At the age of 45, Crow decided to fulfill one of her lifelong ambitions and adopted her first of two children. Even with her dedication to her sons, Crow has continued to make music and promote a variety of empowering causes.
Kim Gordon
As the lead vocalist and instrumentalist of the legendary band Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon had already blazed her share of trails by the mid-’80s. When her daughter was born in 1994, Gordon didn’t ditch her career — she took baby Coco along for the ride. Coco showed up on an episode of Gilmore Girls and in a Dinosaur Jr. music video. Gordon even helped Coco get her own band, Lightbulb, off the ground. Talk about being a supportive mother!
P!nk
Pink has been a consistent force in the top 40 since her debut in 2000. She’s released three chart-topping albums and undertaken two high-octane world tours — all since becoming a doting mother in 2011. Through her massive social media presence, Pink documents everything from the mundane to moments of social and cultural enrichment with her family of four. However, Pink’s not just a protective and supportive mother online. Even when she’s touring, Pink prioritizes family time with regular family dinners, excursions, and much more. Pink has conquered the charts, the world, and motherhood. We’re excited to see what she does next.
Shakira
A self-described “tiger mom,” Shakira’s rocked some of the world’s biggest stages and judged on two seasons of The Voice. Like most, her transition to motherhood was a learning experience that saw Shakira creating healthy boundaries around music and pivoting to focus on her family. These days, she’s incredibly open about her journey as a mother, sharing the ups and downs with her 70 million Instagram followers. She’s even fostering her son Sasha’s love for music and his budding interest in drumming. We’re eager to see how Shakira transforms her son’s curiosity into a lifelong passion.
We hope you’re spending today with any wonderful moms in your life. Remember, even if they aren’t actual rock stars, mothers rock. Happy Mother’s Day to all of you from Sweetwater.