The Singing Circle: A Postpartum Singing Community
April 2026 | by Alyssa Sonnier
The first year of motherhood is one of the most profound transitions a person can go through and it is also one of the loneliest. The Singing Circle exists because new mothers deserve something that is entirely and unapologetically theirs. Not a doctor's appointment, nor a task, but something that feels good, in their bodies, in community, and in their own voices. Singing for new mothers is grounded in research.
A clinical study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry followed new mothers and measured what happened when they sang together once a week for ten weeks and the results were remarkable. Singing together produced a 35% decrease in depressive symptoms within just six weeks. By week ten, 73% of participants showed dramatic improvement in their overall wellbeing.
That research is what inspired The Singing Circle.
In June 2026, we are launching a new initiative: a ten-week community singing program at the Oklahoma Academy of Music & Fine Arts, designed for postpartum mothers and their babies up to 9 months of age. It’s designed for a small group of mothers to gather once a week in a circle. There will be singing of music that the mothers love, personalized music that reflects them and where they come from, not just nursery rhymes. There will be time to talk and connect, prioritizing the feeling of relief that comes from being in a room full of people who get it. Babies up to 9 months of age can come along and absolutely no experience is required. Mothers are welcome to sing, hum, or just be present because whatever they have to give that day is enough.
All mothers are welcome.
The Singing Circle is coming in June 2026. If you are a new mother, a mom-to-be, or a practitioner who works with postpartum mothers, please reach out to Alyssa Sonnier at alyssa@okfinearts.com for more information.
Research reference: Fancourt, D., & Perkins, R. (2018). Effect of singing interventions on symptoms of postnatal depression: Three-arm randomised controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 212(2), 119–121.
