Michelle Branch: Singer, Songwriter, Mother

Michelle Branch is a singer, songwriter and, like you, a mother. She currently has one daughter, Owen, who just turned six this past August. Momtourage had the opportunity to sit down with and talk with Branch about life as a mother, what it's like to juggle being a musician and a mom, her day-to-day life with Owen and her future plans.

Momtourage: Over the past couple of years, you have been a busy recording artist. A couple of years back, you had your daughter, Owen. How has it been juggling work and family life since becoming a mother?

Michelle Branch: My daughter Owen just turned six in the beginning of August. I would say the first five years of her life were relatively easy as far as travel and balancing all of it. I'm really fortunate that my husband is a musician as well. And from the time that she was about four weeks old we just picked her up and moved on the road. And when they're little it's just easy because they just want to be whereever you are. And it was just easy to go and do it that way. But we knew there was going to be a day--a day would come where she would have her own opinions about that, and have her own little life going on. And that has sort of happened in the last kind of 6-9 months for us. So I'm just starting to get into the logistics of having to really plan everything out. It's not ideal because I don't get to see her as much, but it is ideal because she's now home with my husband [while going to school] and she has a kind of more stable day-to-day life. That could change in an instant--it's all kind of a work in progress.

Momtourage: Speaking of Owen, who just started first grade--as a parent, how are you handling the whole "Back-to-School" situation?

Branch: It was always a situation that was really flexible and not too rigorous. But now that it's first grade it's "real school", as opposed to pre-school or kindergarten. But now, yeah, we've gotten to the age where we want her to have consistency. I'm not one of the moms who cries first day of kindergarten--she's really extremely independent. So we haven't had any kind of issues with that. She's had such a unique life thus far that she's good at adapting to any situation and making friends. So I'm just happy that she gets to have her own stuff to do during the day, and we're not worrying about what baby-sitter is coming or who's watching her--it makes my life a lot easier actually.

Momtourage: How does Owen translate into work? Have you been inspired to write specific songs by things that she's done?

Branch: She definitely affects my work. There's a few songs I've written about her, so she's inspired me in that sense. But I actually use her a lot. Kids are so honest and do not hold back. And I really love it when kids her age hear music because they'll immediately tell you whether or not they like it. Like if I have a new song, I'll play it and I won't say anything--I'll just have it in the car, and play it and see which one she likes. And sometimes she'll hum and I'll know if it's a good one. It's interesting--it's like she's the only honest critic I know. I'll trust kids judgment.

Momtourage: Is there any specific music that both you and your daughter love?

Branch: She really just kind of listens to whatever we have in the house. If you were to ask her what her favorite band is it would probably be Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers since we listen to them so much. But she likes catchy pop songs--that's where she gets it from. But we don't play like Justin Bieber for her or anything. She hears our music, but she likes what she likes. Like she loves the song "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele. But I'm trying to get her in the habit of cleaning up her room and doing chores. So she has a tiny little stereo, and we'll put music on and clean her room. And the other day actually she picked the soundtrack to Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma. And so she sang that at the top of her lungs while we cleaned.

Momtourage: Speaking of chores--what's the chore breakdown in the house?

Branch: We have Owen mainly do fun chores. We have pet chickens. So like when she gets up in the morning and gets ready for school we'll have her go out and check the nest for eggs. And some mornings we have a really big vegetable garden. We'll send her out with her dad to pick herbs from the garden--it's more of a fun chore. Her chores are like brushing her hair, teeth, straightening her room, things of that nature. And taking dishes to the sink, washing hands--little things like that.

Momtourage: With Owen, have you ever thought about doing a kids album, either for kids or with your daughter at some point?

Branch: I haven't, to be honest. And I don't know if I ever would. I think I honestly would put out a children's cookbook before I put out music, since that's something that I really enjoy sharing with Owen. I would honestly see myself doing something like that before I did an album.

Momtourage: Michelle, if you had one question you would ask your Momtourage, what would it be?

Branch: That's a tough one...I think I would ask...

Wondering what Michelle would ask her Momtourage? Check out her special Celebrity Mom Question!