The genre-defying artist is kicking 2023 off with a double record release in January. Power 2 The Mother is an ode to mothers everywhere, honouring their tireless efforts in raising children, working, maintaining households, relationships and family bonds whilst having their own pursuits. The artist questions how to maintain a sense of self after becoming a mother, particularly facing the drastic expectations placed on mothers to maintain a type of 'zen mother' attitude, perfect physical appearance and have idealistic parenting skills. The youth obsessed culture of the entertainment industry has made women feel as though they are not of value unless they are young and single. Many mothers feel seldom acknowledged for their contributions to society and the immense load that they carry on a day to day basis.
There is an overwhelming feeling they become invisible once they become a parent. This is the premise that compelled Etoile to write a song that celebrates how irreplaceable mothers are! "I had to battle a lot of societal dialogue around being "too old" to be starting a career in music after having children. But the more I speak with young women in music, the more I feel the importance of older women being visible and heard in the music industry. The mainstream is very focussed on delivering for the youth culture but what about people over 30/40/50/60? Society forgets that "older people" listen to music and enjoy discovering new artists of their own generations too. Are we to only be exposed to music in our teens and twenties and have to live with those same artists for the rest of our lives? How great it would be to celebrate and support artists of all ages, and be able to relate to artists who are in a similar phase of life to our own."
Power 2 The Mother expresses how it feels to be 'frayed at the seems', to experience 'mothers guilt' ("is it just a dream or vanity?"), the reality of 'breaking up feast fights', 'sleeping on the floor' and how 'motherhood in pictures is never what it seems'. Addressing the way a lot of social media idealises motherhood, misrepresenting the realistic experience of the majority.
The track itself begins with the plucking of a guitar, emulating the underlying feelings of being under time constraints. Spanish guitar and flutes are used to make an exotic and dream like soundscape, expressing the sleep deprived state many mothers experience particularly in the first 5 years of their child's life. The second verse is in French, embracing the artists dual cultural identity, something she does across a lot of her releases. The drop into the chorus is intentionally phat and dramatic conveying the toughness of mothers and their capability of far more than they are often given credit for! Finally, a spoken word verse replaces the bridge to emphasise a bit of the madness of motherhood.
"The music I create reflects the type of music I also enjoy listening to, so it's multi cultural, includes phat beats and thought provoking lyrics". It is Etoile's wish that mothers, partners and young women recognise a bit of themselves in the song, and to encourage a culture that embraces women in all their different manifestations.
Follow Etoile Marley on Instagram:
@etoilemarley