We Talk About Babies and the Music Industry with New Mom, Gina Turner

I'd always felt that Gina Turner, one of the strongest female forces in music, was cursed to live in the shadow of her superstar husband, Laidback Luke. Like Bruce Lee's son or John Lennon's girlfriend, it's only natural for people to compare one to another. While a few match up to his touring schedule and industry klout, it only took me 20 minutes on the phone to realize that Gina, a New York resident, full-time DJ, and recent mother has a different kind of strength and passion for the industry that puts her in a league of her own.

After an admittedly brief two-week hiatus from her Sirius radio show residency (Electric Area and BPM), Gina returned from maternity leave in an unfamiliar body, but ready to tackle the industry again. While studio time has been more difficult since (try juggling a baby in one hand and a MIDI keyboard in the other), it's an experience she's grateful of.

"It's definitely a lot harder to sit down at a studio computer with a baby on my lap, slapping the keyboard, but then again she's really receptive to music. I just finished my most recent track for that Safer At Night EP and she was literally on my lap throughout the entire process, being a little angel. That being said, during my pregnancy I felt this feeling where making music was my way of providing for the baby and it's really hard to sit down and focus like I could when she was inside my body."

Luckily for the family, working in the nightlife industry has had unexpected benefits. During her recent trip with Evalina over EDC week, Gina's nightly routine would be to put her to bed for the night and leave her sleeping with her cousin while she does her Sirius broadcasts. "I always knew that I'd be a working mom, but I didn't realize how amazing and conducive being a DJ would be for a working mom. It's a blessing that I'm in the nightlife industry because I get to spend all day with my kid and then she sleeps while I'm "working" and my mom is watching her."

There are, however, certain aspects of a touring lifestyle that the couple can't escape from. Speaking on Laidback Luke's intensive show schedule, Gina says "It has been hard I must say… A baby changes and develops so much in its first year. Today we FaceTimed while Luke was in Europe and we're in New York, Evalina was sitting up on her own for the first time. I wished he could be there, but stuff like FaceTime and Skype makes it much easier. We try and only spend a week apart. Sometimes that's not always possible, for example he's away for 12 days this time, but we do what we can. We're both really organized people and we're making it work so far. "

While producing and being a full time mom, Gina explains that she's "had no sleep, and with my c-section, I've had more time off exercising than I wanted because of the abdominal surgery… that has been a crazy mind fuck—for lack of a better term. Right now I can split my time into three projects: 1. Packaging my existing tracks in ways that make sense, 2. Making more music, and 3. Being a mom. Obviously [laughs]."

Between unrelenting dedication to her craft, not-laidback-at-all support from her husband, as well as inspiration from strong female musicians such as DJ Heather and Annie Mac, it's clear to see that Gina Turner being a successful working mom is so much more than a simple assertion.

Gina Turner has a new release on Turn It Records and a vocal collaboration with Laidback Luke on the way July 21st. She'll be playing in New Jersey and then New York tomorrow and Friday with Canblaster in support of her latest EP.

Ziad Ramley can't think of something witty to write here. Add him on Twitter anyway: @bluuuuueeeeeee

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