Industry Mums - Alana Wilkinson

Broadcaster and mother Jane Gazzo continues her series asking women to describe their triumphs and challenges as working mothers in the Australian music industry.

Folk singer, songwriter and musician Alana Wilkinson grew up in Seaford, Melbourne and now resides on Bundjalung Country (the Northern Rivers, NSW) with her husband and young son Rafferty who is the subject of her current single, ‘Dream Big’.

What is your earliest musical memory?

I sang ‘Oh, You Beautiful Doll’ at a tap-dancing concert when I was about 4 years old except, I was convinced it was ‘Oh, You Beautiful Dog’ and so stubbornly, those were the words I sang.

First record you bought?

The Corrs album Talk on Corners and ‘When the Lights Go Out’ single by 5ive.

I was utterly obsessed with both records.

First concert you went to?

Because my parents were musicians, I went to lots of live music concerts from an early age, but my first really big memorable concert was The Corrs at Rod Laver Arena. My whole heart exploded.

How were you raised?

I was raised by two musos. My mum taught singing and started a kids music school while my Dad played keys in touring bands which meant he was away a lot.

My little brother, my mother and I always sang and made a real musical racket around the house.

We were raised on all day jams with my parents’ friends, backyard sprinklers, bikes chucked on front lawns and the best dress up box of all time.

What were your mother’s morals and values?

My mother has a real ‘find what you love and just go for it’ attitude. She was in a band in the 80’s that opened for Midnight Oil and Motorhead (The Jennifer Lee Band - think big permed hair-do with shaved sides and leopard print leotard!) and she’s a real rock’n’roller at heart.

She believes that all music is healing- a neurodevelopmental tool and a human connector.

She values honesty, authenticity, great communication and showing up with a positive attitude.

Do you have an example of her displaying this/these from when you grew up?

From a young age, I watched my mum rock out on festival stages, sing to folks in aged care and transform a small kids music business into an international franchised company - all with the intention to get music into the ears and hearts of little people everywhere.

Mum has been so supportive of my career from the very beginning. When I was 14, she would drive me into the city to play pub shows in my pop punk band with my fake ID.

Her communication has always been gentle, empathetic and honest. I’ve never felt that I couldn’t tell her anything.

Was there a time when you and your mother didn’t see eye to eye?

Only in my teenage years when I was a bit of a ratbag, but that’s a rite of passage, right?

Otherwise, we have always had a brilliant relationship and she is always there to celebrate, support and gently guide me when it all falls to bits.

What teachings/values/morals from your mother have you taken and/or implemented into your own family?

My mum plays! She is fun, she sings everything that would normally be said and it helps makes a colourful, musical, noisy household which I really love.

She also rates authenticity and communication.

Most embarrassing childhood family moment:

Oh, god. I told a big ol’ swear word joke at my grandfather's wake when I was 10 and it brought the bloody house down.

I wasn’t embarrassed at the time, but everyone still remembers it and loves to remind me of it.

When did you know you wanted to work/be part of the music industry?

From a really young age all I’ve ever wanted to do was sing and write songs.

There was about 6 months as an early teen that I got into sharks in a big way and wanted to be a marine biologist, but when I found out I needed to study science, I swung back to plan A pretty quickly!

What was your first industry/music job?

My first job was performing at a Christmas concert at the Glen Eira Town Hall when I was 4 years old. I sang ‘I saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus’ and got paid $25. That was a whole lot of mixed lollies back then!

Were there any female mentors you felt you could call upon when you started out or did you have to navigate your own path?

I didn’t really have mentors at the beginning of my path – it has been a ‘figure-it-out-as-I-go’ scenario to be honest.

Unofficially Avril Lavigne mentored me through her albums and music videos for a while there, then Missy Higgins and Kate Miller-Heidke unofficially ignited my romance with words.

Were there women you looked up to at any time in your life who wasn’t your mum?

The other woman that I looked up to was my grandmother. She was a visual artist and played the piano. We would paint, draw, cook, sing and make whole worlds out of clay together. She taught me to follow my curiosity and create without judgement or expectation. I look back now and am so incredibly grateful for her ‘badass’ attitude and the way she showed up for me.

Also, a few years ago, I had the pleasure of working with the inimitable Kate Ceberano and her authenticity, work ethic and musical magnificence impacted me so profoundly. I learned so much just by watching her radiate and share her heart with the world.

Did you always know you wanted a child?

Yes, as much as I knew I was going to create music and draw pictures for the rest of my life, I always felt that I was born to be a mother and was so excited when the time came to add a tiny, unsuspecting new band member into our lives.

Did you worry about how you would make motherhood and the music industry work?

The figure-it-out-as-I-go mentality is very much still active here! Now that I am a mother, I am certainly facing the challenges and trying to make things work together. It is ever evolving and I find a lot of inspiration and advice in other touring music-making mothers like Fanny Lumsden. She’s the mentor I wish I’d had when I was a kid. I still worry about how I’ll make it work, but mostly I try to stay open to all the possibilities and cross bridges when I get to them.

As primary caregivers, there is an expectation in society and/or the workplace that you just have to get on with it and deliver. What kind of pressure does this place on you? How have you managed to navigate this in this past? Did you ever feel inadequate?

I have definitely felt the difference between what I can achieve now, compared to before becoming a mother. I simply have much less time and energy to dedicate to my music while caring for a little person and that can create a pressure. And in the same breath, it’s so inspirational so I’m feeling more and writing more.

I also think a real part of the pressure I have felt is that I also really love what I do. Becoming a mother gave me new stories to tell and songs to share. My son Rafferty was born at 24 weeks and my fans followed his birth and early health journey the whole time.

We went on our first tour when Raffy was about 6 months old. He was on home oxygen and we just took the tank along with us.

Was there a time when it fell apart? Or felt like it was?

Oh, regularly! I like to call it ‘recalibrating’, haha. But truthfully, I tend to see these moments as an opportunity to pivot and try something new.

What skills have you learnt to deal with every day or occupational challenges which come your way?

Feeling my feelings is number one. When I am emotional, I will ugly cry for as long as I need to and trust that there is some clarity and freedom waiting beyond the bigness of letting it all out.

I also let the people around me know how I’m feeling and I’m honest about it. It took a long time, but I have learned to ask for support when I need it. I’m always learning here but choosing not to bottle my emotions up or keep things to myself helps me to stay grounded and more equipped to deal with any challenges.

Since having your child – what has been your proudest moment?

Gosh, I was most proud of my family when my son was able to come off oxygen after 15 months. His first year was really medically challenging for us, so when we sent the oxygen tank back, it felt like a huge milestone!

Professionally, I am really proud that I’ve managed to record an album. ‘Dream Big’ is the first single from the record and it’s also the first song I wrote for Raffy in the NICU. I wrote this song because I needed to hear it, and I am just so happy that I am able to share this song with parents who need it now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jane Gazzo
Jane Gazzo is a broadcaster, TV presenter, music journalist and published author who began her career in radio, aged 16. Since then, she has presented nationally on Triple M and Triple J as well as BBC Radio 6 in the UK and has hosted television shows such as Recovery on ABC TV. She spent eight years as a presenter on Foxtel's Channel V, where she reported from music festivals, red carpet events and hosted live TV shows, interviewing some of the biggest and best names in the music world.

In 2018 Jane became Chair of the Australian Music Vault Advisory Group and in 2020 she hosted ABC-TV's flagship music show THE SOUND and co-founded the popular Facebook site Sound As Ever (Australia Indie 90-99).