Jill Barber: My Mother's Hand
A sweetly sentimental tune perfectly timed for Mother's Day.
By Kerry Doole
Jill Barber - My Mother's Hand (Outside Music): We last heard from popular Vancouver-based jazz/folk/pop singer/songwriter Jill Barber with her 2020 album Entre Nous, and she has now returned with a new single timed for Mother's Day.
A label press release describes the song as "a thank you card, in the form of a song, to her mother. Jill woke up on the morning of Sept. 16, realizing that it was her mother’s birthday and regretting that she had completely forgotten to send a card." Barber adds that "I wrote this song on my Mother’s birthday last year and quickly recorded a rough demo and sent it to her as a voice note. We are very close, but live very far apart and hadn’t seen each other for over a year. I wanted to express my gratitude to her in the best way I know how, through my music. I am a mother myself now of two young kids and I sometimes worry that I’m not doing as good a job as she did with me… but I know she set the example I will always strive for, and I wanted to thank her with this song."
The new single, co-produced with Erik P.H. Nielsen, was co-written with Maïa Davies (Ladies of the Canyon) and features a string part arranged by Vancouver stalwart Peggy Lee, with contributions from Paul Rigby, Peggy Lee, and Meredith Bates.
The sparse tune has Barber's signature pure vocals front and centre, with the strings adding atmosphere. The video features vintage Barber family Super 8 footage that complements the song's message. Yes, this is sentimental, but in a sweet and affecting manner.
Throughout her 15-year career, Barber has been nominated for numerous awards, including 3 Juno Awards, and her albums have garnered over 100 million streams worldwide. The eclectic artist has recorded jazz records, folk records, pop records, and two records in French, plus one with her brother Matthew Barber, another talented songsmith.
Links
Publicity: Beth Cavanagh, What's The Story Quebec: Simon Fauteux
Management: Evan Newman
Booking (Canada): Tom Kemp, Feldman Agency
Mumford & Sons at LASSO Festival in Montreal on August 16, 2026. Lucas Domínguez / Billboard Canada