Parenting Panel with Andrew Stonehome
For many musicians, creativity is a constant force - an instinct, a lifeline, a way of making sense of the world.
But when parenthood enters the picture, the creative process can shift in ways both unexpected and profound. Late-night songwriting sessions might be replaced with lullabies, and the once-solitary pursuit of music can become a family affair, filled with new voices, perspectives, and priorities.
Andrew Stonehome is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who knows this balance all too well. Originally from North Dakota and now based in Beaverton, Oregon, Andrew crafts catchy and retro-tinged pop-rock that resonates with emotion and introspection.
His latest single “Then You Fly” explores themes of vulnerability and self-discovery, a journey that echoes his experience as both an artist and a father.
In this interview, Andrew reflects on the ways parenthood has shaped his creative life and how it has challenged him, inspired him, and even given him a built-in test audience (who are never shy about sharing their opinions).
From writing songs during pregnancy to navigating the ups and downs of raising three kids while making music, he shares insights into the beautiful, messy intersection of art and family.
How many children do you have? And what are their names and ages?
I have three children who are 17 (girl), 14 (boy) and 11 (girl). They’re all great people and I’m so thankful that they’re in the world. Any “angst” that I have as a parent is just a result of the natural challenges that exist in life. I’m (for the most part) not just saying this in case any of my kids ever read this.
Did you have fears or concerns about how becoming a parent would interfere with your artistic endeavors?
When my first child was born, music had already been relegated to a side pursuit and that was further solidified with her arrival. However, the nine months of pregnancy inspired me to write and record a collection of original songs, before life with kids fully took over. I did have a real fear that I’d never find time for music once there were children to occupy my time.
Have those fears come true, or no?
I became a single parent a few years after they were all born and so they’re with me half of the time. As soon as I became a single parent, I devoted all of the time that I had without them, outside of my job, to music. That came at the expense of a social life and relationships for quite awhile, but it was something that I felt that I needed to do.
What has parenthood taught you about yourself, your music, or your creative process?
Having children, along with growing older myself, has given me a deeper perspective and more opportunities to learn about people, including myself. Watching how people evolve over time is fascinating and it can also provide great material for creative expression.
I've always felt a strong connection to childhood and the innocence that we all begin life with. I’m sure that I’m not alone in believing that many people spend their adult lives trying to protect themselves from any pain that they experienced during childhood. We build walls up to protect ourselves and these walls can serve as barriers that prevent us from being vulnerable in ways that could benefit ourselves and others.
How do you juggle your family and your career? Who’s your support system?
Becoming a single parent was actually helpful for me to become an even better father (note: according to the hat that my kids gave me, I’m now the “World’s Greatest Dad”, which incidentally created a lot of confusion when I saw another dad wearing a hat that said the same thing). Having no other adults around made it clear that I’m 100% responsible for their well-being at all times, which helped me to make sure that I was fully focused on them when they were with me.
Music is not my day job, so the time that I have outside of work and my kids gets divided between my relationship, music and anything else that I want or need to do. This makes it a challenge to devote much time to music, and since I do everything myself (write, play all of the instruments, engineer, mix, master), it takes a long time to create, finish and share new music.
What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you became a parent? Any advice for others?
I remember getting irritated with everyone giving advice when I was becoming a first time parent, so I don’t generally try to offer any. I’m not sure that there’s much big picture advice that was helpful to me other than to take lots of pictures and videos, and to appreciate things because they go quickly. I do remember having the realization each night that I was putting my son to bed when he was little that I needed to enjoy it because he wouldn’t be little for long.
Do your children inspire / inform your music?
They sometimes serve as my test audience for new songs and they give me helpful feedback like “this is quite possibly the worst piece of hot garbage I’ve ever heard” and “can we please listen to something else now so that I don’t have to jump out of the car while it’s moving?”.
I’m kidding, of course. However, there was one time when I was playing one of my new songs for my son while we were driving and I could see him bobbing his head in my peripheral vision. I was feeling great about the fact that he seemed to be enjoying my music, until I turned and saw that he had his airpods in and was listening to something else.
In all honesty, my kids do have good instincts for music and they do give me helpful feedback.
Have you ever written a song for or about your kids? If so please share a description and a link.
I’ve done a few different things musically with and about my kids. One of my favorites was recording a cover of the White Stripes song “We’re Going to Be Friends” with my kids singing:
Another thing we did when the kids were younger was to make a three episode detective show with them starring and me creating all of the music. At the time, I hadn’t been doing anything creative because the kids were young, and it served as a great opportunity to spend time with my kids and do something creative. I had rudimentary equipment and it would certainly be much easier to do well now with a smartphone than what I had at the time!
Here’s a scene where they’re chasing me - playing the bad guy, of course - set to music that I wrote for the moment:
About Andrew
Andrew Stenehjem (Norwegian for “Stonehome”) is a songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist originally from North Dakota who is now based in Beaverton, Oregon. Andrew’s music touches on a variety of styles and influences, but it finds itself centered around retro, catchy pop/rock. Besides vocals, his primary instruments are guitar, drums, bass and piano.
Andrew Stonehome's most recent release, “Then You Fly”, is deeply personal and transformative and it explores the emotional journey of shedding protective walls and embracing vulnerability. With themes of reconnecting to one's inner child and facing the fears that often hold us back from being our authentic selves, it captures the delicate balance between self-discovery and growth.
Andrew's first full-length album debuted in 2021 and it was included at #13 of 175 on International Pop Overthrow’s Best Albums of 2021.
Listen to Andrew’s latest single “Then You Fly” here: