3 M words
is a self-imposed artist residency inspired by ARIM. This is a residency in observation lead by my newly born son. There are so many pieces of advice out there, and rarely we hear "just look at your child and be in tune". This year, his first year of life on Earth, I want to concentrate on his clues, his ways of experiencing this planet and be inspired. I want this residency to be in various mediums, not only music. I want to change the themes and the mediums when and how it feels appropriate to him and me. I want to be an observer, a listener.
The 3 M words are: Motherhood, Mediums and Maddalena
Motherhood
This is my first experience of motherhood. Our son, Ennio, was born in June 2025. This year of pregnancy was also the year I was selected to be part of cohort 7 of Mutual Mentorship for Musicians (M3). Being part of this cohort gave me many opportunities to reflect on my processes, to be in communication with a group of incredible artists, to write new music and a graphic score for their Anthology of Writings. Both the music, re·member water in collaboration with tap dancer Melissa Almaguer, and the graphic score, M words: Two Creative acts, are rooted in my experience of motherhood and pregnancy. I found this year deeply creative both bodily and intellectually and this process made me realise that, despite what the world tells women, motherhood is a deeply creative moment and change is not something to fear.
Mediums
Not only music. This year I would like to experiment with different mediums including photography, writing, art and whatever I see fit…
Maddalena
how can this experience change me, my understanding of my artistic expression, my storytelling and ultimately my music?
Chapter 2: spiral
Ennio's entry to this world was punk. Before the birth two dear friends gave me two amulets that I wore before and during much of the delivery.
Emmerline Smy, as a rite of passage into motherhood, made a beaded necklace to protect Ennio and me. She wore one as well to accompany us through the birth and only took it off when Ennio was born.
Bruna Benedusi gave me a handmade copper spiral to echo nature and its spirals, to call upon ancestral feminine strength and, as Jung describes it, to visualised the unconscious process as moving "spiral-wise round a centre, gradually getting closer, while the characteristics of the centre grow more and more distinct."
Ennio was born the day my father passed away 11 years ago, I feel like nonno Mario was looking over us every steps of the way and even when I was tremendously sick I felt so much strength in me. We are looked after, what a beautiful feeling❤️
These two lives that never crossed path on this planet will always be intertwined in this magic spiral of birth and death.
Chapter 1: the wait
About to
How can one live the “about to” moment? I wrote this piece a couple of months ago in a workshop lead by Tara Fatehi and Pouya Ehsaei from From the Lips to the Moon at Pushkin House in London. I found it again a couple of days before going into labor and decided to create a collage out of it. It helped me deal with the anxiety of this moment and made me feel more centred, It also made me grateful for having art in my life that can come to aid me and support me when I need it most.
Affirmation cards
I created these nine cards to help me enter a positive mindset for birth and motherhood. I read them every night. I particularly love the last card on the right that included musician Charlotte Greve’s supportive words. Charlotte and I have never met and started talking on social media about motherhood in music. I have been astonished by her egoless support and the time she has put into sharing positive words with me.