Tag-team parenting and late-night songwriting: A day in the life of country music singer Amber Lawrence.

Want to know how celebrities really spend their days? Yep, us too. In Mamamia’s A Day in the Life series, fascinating people share everything from what they eat for breakfast to their pre-bedtime rituals.

This week, we find out what life is like for country music singer Amber Lawrence. 

“Shift work” isn’t the way most of us would describe a music career, but when it comes down to the logistics of it, that’s essentially what it is, says country music star Amber Lawrence.

“A lot of families have to juggle shift work and they find a way to do it. At the moment, we're doing it pretty well,” Amber tells Mamamia via Zoom about how she and husband Martin are juggling their careers with being parents to five-year-old son, Ike. 

“Look, you can probably see the house is a mess, but apart from that…” she laughs.

It’s been an especially big 12 months for the Sydney-based singer-songwriter after winning the 2023 Toyota Golden Guitar Award for Female Artist of the Year. From now until December, Amber’s on the road every weekend for shows, with a few weeks off before her annual highlight, performing at the nation's largest and longest live music event – the 52nd Toyota Country Music Festival 2024 in Tamworth from January 19 to 28. 

“This will be my 21st Tamworth Festival,” Amber says proudly. The first time she played in Australia’s country music capital was back in 2004 at a talent quest where she placed second to Jessica Mauboy. “And I've returned every January since.”

With such a varied work schedule, Amber is grateful that she and Martin have found a way to do life that works for them. 

“I don't think I could have married a better man for the job that I have, because he really values what I do. He values how it contributes to our family's life. Although this is hard on him, because he's a solo dad on the weekends now, he still fully supports it,” she says.

“I've never had that in a relationship before, so it's really incredible.”

During the week, the couple’s tag-team efforts begin in the early morning. On the days that she exercises, Amber will get up for a 6.30am run. “My husband and I obviously have to share morning exercise time because we have a child. He gets out at 5.30am and then tag-teams me, so that I can go for a 20-minute jog down to the beach and back.

“I also take my running gear on tour so that I can just exit the motel and do a 20-minute run in the morning. It just makes you feel a bit better.”  

When she returns home, her husband goes to work and she gets her son ready and walks him to preschool. After drop-off, she’s back at home with a coffee, working on the admin side of her business. (Side note: Before turning her love of country music into a full-time job 15 years ago, Amber was an accountant.)

“I’m just one of those people who loves all of the admin that goes with running your own business, so I just do it,” she says.

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After getting the admin out of the way, Amber might do interviews to promote her shows or do mentoring sessions with up-and-coming musicians. The latter is something she loves, having run a ‘Be Your Own Superhero’ mentorship program for schools, and working as a mentor for Macca's Golden Gig, a talent search for kids up to 17, at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

When 3pm hits, Amber picks up her son from preschool and takes him to the beach for some playtime together. They’ll go home before Amber cooks dinner, and on Thursdays, they make it special with a family barbecue in the backyard, “where we put the phone down and really connect,” she says.

Once her son is in bed, Amber goes back to work at around 8.30pm. This time on the creative side of her business. 

“I can only be creative once the to-do list – like booking a hire car, booking airfares, making sure sales are on track – is ticked off for the day. That's when my mind can be free to do the creative part of my job, whether it's creating social media, editing videos, writing songs or artwork. It works better for me at night, because I know I can go as long as I want.”

It’s usually 11.30pm when Amber finishes for the day. “I've got some really bad habits for winding down,” she admits, “and that’s watching TikTok videos or Netflix in bed until I fall asleep. So that's definitely not healthy, but it’s an enjoyable part of my day, so I do it.”

All this doesn’t leave a lot of time to connect with her husband. “It’s no way for a marriage to thrive, so it's a short-term thing,” Amber says. “We are both putting our careers and raising our son at the forefront at the moment, knowing there will be time together soon.”

That’s another reason she’s looking forward to the Toyota Country Music Festival Tamworth in January. It’s one of her only performances the whole family comes along to. Her son will be with her for the entire trip, as she opens with a kids’ country show, while her husband will come towards the end of the second week for her next performance. 

“It's a really great festival for all ages. There's so much going on! The music starts at 8am up until you go to sleep. You could be walking around the streets with your eight-year-old and you'll find that there's a busker who's also eight. Or there could be a Bush poet, or an alt folk artist, or there could be a songwriter session. They could be performing on the street, on a bus, in a cafe, in one of the venues or the free outdoor stage at Bicentennial Park.” 

To keep the kids entertained, there’s also the award-winning Tamworth Regional Playground – with giant slides, mini water park and climbing area – and a festival family zone with dodgem cars and other carnival rides.

Image: Supplied.

Amber hopes her son will get on stage and sing with her, but says last time she tried, he ended up on the drum kit instead. “Obviously, he’s just trying to get my attention and it’s okay,” she laughs. “I'll always make sure he still feels like he's the most important thing in my life, so if it means that sometimes I bring him on tour, but he holds onto my leg or another time, he just put his hands up my shorts, so they rested on my butt cheeks… You know it's not a perfect performance, but hey, I’m doing my best.

“So if you come [to Tamworth], you’ll probably get to meet my son, just trying to sabotage my show slightly,” Amber laughs.

Feature Image: Supplied/Instagram/@amberlawrencemusic