Have you ever wanted to write a song but don’t know where to start?
Or started writing songs but don’t know how to finish?
Or already a singer/songwriter and would love space to collaborate with musicians to write your next song? This course could be for you!
ABOUT:
Parents on the Mic Songwriting Course is designed for parents and grandparents to learn and develop new skills and confidence in songwriting. This special 10 week programme is comprised of 6 workshops, 3 masterclasses and a live show:
Workshops led by singer songwriter Eleanor Viola Spencer and musician mentors Abbe Martin (vocals /guitar) and Lewis Baker (bass) and Emma Wigham (percussion). Together we will look at the elements needed to write a song, including: lyrics, music, title, structure, chord progressions and hooks whilst building confidence and helping you to develop your creative skills. Musician mentors will support you and provide backing vocals, guitar, percussion etc to support you to bring your song to fruition. As a group you may also provide backing vocals or if you play an instrument you may like to play too. During this time everyone will be supported to write at least one song.
Masterclasses led by brilliant singer songwriters, who will offer their unique style and insight into songwriting. Guest Artists are Holly Ebony (folk), Samantics (hiphop/rap), Sound of the Sirens (folk/rock). The Masterclasses will also have a limited amount of spaces available for one off booking (see event listings for announcements).
Daylight Sessions Live Show offers a platform to perform your song with musicians, a supportive, parent-friendly audience and professional photography. The performance is optional and you don’t need to decide now. You may prefer to collaborate with others performers to bring their song to fruition or watch as part of the audience.
M/OTHERS ON THE MIC SONGWRITING LIVE SHOW
February 2025 The Hall Exeter
Film: Emily Appleton
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Tuesdays 10am-12noon at Exeter Library
13 January – Group Session 1
20 January – Group Session 2
27 January - Holly Ebony Masterclass
3 February - Samantics Masterclass
10 February - Group Session 3
17 February – Break for half term
24 February – Sound of the Sirens Masterclass
3 March - Group Session 4
10 March - Group Session 5
17 March - Group Session 6
24 March – Live Show 11am-1pm
Accessible for Parents and Grandparents:
Children of any age are welcome with you, and you are also welcome to bring someone to support you too. We will provide mats and toys to play with and plenty of space for a buggy. Children are welcome to be themselves. Please note you are responsible for your children at all times.
This course is about supporting parents creativity, confidence and community. It is designed to be accessible for parents to be fully included in art and cultural opportunities. You are welcome at any stage of parenting - from expecting a child to great grandparenthood.
Cost:
The course is subsidised by National Lottery Community Fund and supported by Exeter Library as part of M/Others on the Mic’s Creativity and Parenthood project. If cost is a barrier to taking part please contact me (Lizzy Humber) to request a PWYC, payment plan or fully funded place.
Please see terms here.
MENTORS:
ELEANOR VIOLA SPENCER
MOTHER / SINGER-SONGWRITER
Eleanor Viola is a versatile musician and vocalist with a wealth of knowledge to share about healthy singing techniques. Eleanor co-founded 'Strummy Mummies' - a local singing and ukulele group for mums and is currently writing her new EP with her band Stop The Bear. Eleanor has spent time performing, teaching, radio presenting, songwriting and running music events and workshops over the last sixteen years. In 2024 she joined the panel as a guest judge at the MIDI Music Awards. Eleanor was guest musician on the first M/Others on the Mic Songwriting Course in 2022 and co-led the course in 2025. She has an incredibly empowering style and can support anyone to find their vibe and their voice in music. One minute she’s jamming on guitar for a comedy song and the next she whips out a looping peddle for a contemporary art piece.
Image: Jorbein Photography
EMMA WIGHAM
MOTHER / DRUMMER
Music has been a part of Emma’s life since childhood, but she discovered her love of the drums when she formed rock band Witching Waves with partner Mark Jasper in 2013. Since then they have released four albums and toured extensively in Europe and the US. Emma has also taught drums and played in numerous other projects. She describes her approach to drumming and songwriting as intuitive and emotional.
Emma says, “I can't wait to be a part of the Parents on the Mic Songwriting course. It will be so exciting to share ideas and creativity with other parents.”
Image: Keira Annee
LEWIS BAKER
DAD / BASSIST
Lewis found bass when starting his first band at school, which led him to study performing arts. He has played in a variety of bands ranging from acoustic music, through reggae to metal and punk, and all sorts in between! Lewis and Eleanor create and perform together as Stop the Bear, he is also part of a rap-metal group called Wak Therapists and often joins local reggae band Revelation Roots.
Image: Jorbein Photography
ABBE MARTIN
MOTHER / SINGER-SONGWRITER
With a background in theatre and writing, Abbe teaches vocal coaching and acting in schools in Devon and runs a weekly drama and music class for adults with additional needs. Abbe in one half of musical duo Sound of the Sirens who have been writing music, recording and performing for the past 2 decades. Abbe is excited to help with “songwriting, harmonies, melodies and general creative support. I'm here for all of it”. In 2021 she founded the Birdhouse café in St Thomas and now runs small events for the community at the café.
MASTERCLASSES:
HOLLY EBONY
MOTHER / CONTEMPORARY FOLK SINGER-SONGWRITER
Holly is a contemporary folk singer-songwriter, known for her profound lyricism and emotionally impactful voice, evocative of Sandy Denny, Tracy Chapman and Natalie Merchant rolled into one. A prolific songwriter, Holly's songs elicit strong emotional affinity in her folk audiences, fuelled by her deepest experiences and subjects she cares about, such as ecosystems & human belonging. Holly’s 2023 debut album 'Born For These Times' led to her supporting Jesca Hoop, Lady Nade & Nessi Gomes. Her single 'Follow Your Feet' is an anthemic fundraiser for Right to Roam featuring artwork by Sunday Times bestseller, Nick Hayes.
Since 2015 she has facilitated woodland singing groups for families, Wild Birds Singing and also created a body of nature inspired songs for group singing. In 2024 she was awarded the Exeter Phoenix Archive Project Commission to create works in response to rescued amateur film footage from the 1930s-1960s, as part of this project she led a M/Others on the Mic songwriting series where the group created lyrics in response to the archive. Out of this project, her second album explores themes of dementia, shifting baseline syndrome, family stories, colonialism and objectification. In 2025 she led the M/Others on the Mic songwriting programme alongside Eleanor Viola, and has headlined M/Others on the Mic in Barnstaple in 202.
Image: Alex Toze
SAMANTICS
DAD / LIVEWIRE RAP-POET
Sam Walker aka SAMANTICS is a one-man machine of honesty, energy, words and noise. Using lyrics to portray his own unique vision of the world we’re all wandering, he speaks and screams from the centre of his erratic heart. Using a trolley full of sounds, ukulele, bass, beats, piano, harmonies, blips and bloops and wobbly wobbs, all brought together with loop station and sampler to create a hot pot of powerful, noisy poetry. It’s not quite hip-hop, but it’s not quite not.
"Samantics takes us on a multitudinous odyssey of instrumentation. His live shows are a frantic, funny, and thrilling experience. Skirting the line between slam poet, social commentator and street busker, Samantics is an unmissable solo artist bound to spike your energy levels.”
SOUND OF THE SIRENS
MOTHERS / FOLK ROCK DUO
Sound of the Sirens are a singer-songwriting duo based in Devon comprising of Abbe Martin & Hannah Wood. Honing their craft over the past decade, Martin & Wood have cemented themselves as firm favourites as “one of the UK’s finest folk acts” locally and inter/nationally too. Martin (pictured right) plays acoustic and high-strung (Nashville tuning) guitar, mandolin, and bass drum, while partner in crime Wood (pictured left) plays acoustic and electric guitar, tambourine, snare drum, and the piano. The pairs’ musical and vocal dexterity dovetail beautifully on the co-written songs, which range from beautiful, emotive ballads, to up-beat, foot stomping, hands in the air, sing-along anthems. In 2024 they co-headlined the first Daylight Sessions Music at Exeter Phoenix, nearly causing a riot as kids queued to join them on stage and play the drums.
LIZZY HUMBER
MOTHER / PRODUCER
Lizzy is a community artist and producer working in the UK and Australia. She specialises in curating parent-friendly live art and culture events, aiming to change access for parents to make art professionally on their terms. Lizzy is the founder of The Daylight Collective, a network for artist parents: Daylight Sessions daytime gigs for parents, M/Others on the Mic and Parents on the Mic performance platform, Creative Journalling for Matrescence and is the co-founder of Matrescence Festival an arts festival exploring the changes that occur in motherhood. Lizzy’s participatory art projects aim to support parental mental health and community connection. Lizzy is a mentor, consultant and producer for parent artists in theatre, dance and visual arts, and passionately champions their voices.
Image: Noa Fletcher
