Having a kid doesn't hold back mom-musician

How to go

WHO: Ana Popovic

WHERE: Gilly's, 132 S. Jefferson St., Dayton

WHEN: 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8

COST: $10

MORE INFO: (937) 228-8414 or www.myspace.com/gillysindayton

ARTIST INFO: www.anapopovic.com

Although mothers have been in the work force in serious numbers for decades, some modern women still think having a child will hamper them professionally. Musician Ana Popovic, the mother of a 17-month-old son, says it doesn’t have to be that way.

“Luuc actually brought some organization and structure into my life,” Popovic said last week, speaking over the telephone from her home in Amsterdam. “Knowing you only have a couple of hours, you have to use it, so that’s what I do. It actually works out great. I’m writing more than ever. I’m practicing, and I still have time to do nice stuff with him. “Being a mom-musician is actually a very cool thing because I get to be with him all week long,” she continued. “He’s definitely a tip to all the mothers that you don’t have to stop your career. You can go on doing what you love. I’m the proof that it’s possible.”

Popovic’s newest record, “Blind for Love,” was released in July. All of the material was written and recorded after her son was born. It is the most confident and eclectic album of her career. The native of Yugoslavia is known as a blues artist, but like her previous album, “Blind for Love” is a diverse listening experience, offering an enjoyable ride from start to finish, with plenty of musical peaks and valleys.

“I like the way this record flows,” Popovic said. “I don’t find it disturbing to listen to it. I usually don’t listen to my records, but this one is good. I think it has really nice songs and chord progressions. It’s not overdone with instruments. I think there are some nice ideas and nice subjects. The songs are all different little stories. They’re the kinds of things that happen to everyone in life, I guess.”

Popovic brings her trio, rounded out by Ronald Jonker (bass) and Andrew Thomas (drums) to Gilly’s on Sunday, Nov. 8.

“It’s going to be a very energetic show,” she said. “We’ll do stuff from the last two records and there is so much variety on those. We’ve been playing with some new styles on this one so we have some jam band things, some gospel stuff and some real roots blues. On the previous one, it has everything from blues to reggae and rock. It’s a show full of variety so we’ll have something for everyone.”

CONTACT contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.