This story is part of our “Music and Healing Initiative”, the program we’re highlighting in this year’s Amplify Austin campaign. To learn more about our Lullaby Project and new partnerships with Dell Children’s Medical Center and The Livestrong Cancer Institute, and about how you can support this initiative, click here.


Holly, a single mother, is searching for part-time work that fits the busy schedule of caring for her four-month old infant, Anna. Six months ago, faced with the prospect of raising her child alone and without close family in the area, she found Any Baby Can. It’s an organization that provides counselling, classes, and in-home support to parents in difficult situations. Diane, her counselor through Any Baby Can, put her in touch with ACG and Arnold Yzaguirre, one of our Lullaby Artists.

Over four appointments with Arnold last September, they discussed her feelings about pregnancy and having a child, and about what message she’d want to convey to her baby. Mothers in our Lullaby Project have differing levels of ability and interest in the details of writing a lullaby. Holly has a background in music, so she came up with the melody, harmonies, and lyrics entirely on her own, and presented them to Arnold so that he could craft the lullaby on his guitar.

“I’ve been singing since I was five, it’s a natural passion of mine. My dad can sing and play the keyboard – music is in the family. I did choir in high school and college, wrote songs with a friend – more like a hobby – and learned how to record in a studio.”

She is raising Anna in a musical manner as well, often singing to her infant at times when she is particularly fussy or bored.

“I call them ‘jam sessions’: I put music on, and sing and dance with her. I mostly put on lullabies, or anything I can sing to. Anytime I turn on the stereo, she’ll stare at it like ‘What is that?’ She’s very curious.”

Holly’s lullaby for Anna is inspired by love. She encourages Anna to be patient, kind, humble, and grateful, and to find a love that is true to guide her through life. The chorus is repeated phrases of “Oh love,” and she wanted the title to be more unique.

“It’s called ‘Meraki Lullaby.’ Meraki is a verb that means ‘to do something with full creativity or love; to put something of yourself into your work.’”

Now when she sings to Anna, she can sing along to the song she created – Meraki Lullaby. Sometimes, Anna joins in with her own interpretation of singing (more like long held tones.)

“This is a gift for Anna. I want her to be able to grow up and sing this song, or listen to it forever. It means a lot to me. We can’t live in a world without music; it really is healing, it really is inspiring. It helps lift you up.”

Holly enjoyed working with Arnold so much that she hopes to continue collaboration with him and other mothers to help them create songs of their own.

“I already had a passion for music, but this sparked something in me … It reignited some of my creativity. I hope this is something I can continue to do forever. Being able to share their love through music would be great.”