Kate Hudson, on Releasing Her First Rock Single at Age 45

In 2024, an incredible mom in her mid-forties released her first big rock n’ roll single.

Nope, I’m not talking about me. I’m talking about Kate Hudson, the icon and actor and mom of three.

As I prepare to savor the release of my single “Dairy Queen” (which drops 5/23!), I’m feeling super inspired by the star, whose album comes out this Friday. It’s not every day a mom in her perimenopause years decides to embark on a risky new career path, or chase dreams she’s been told to forget. And to hear Katie belt out her bluesy Southern rock tune, “Gonna Find Out” — which has all the Grace Potter vibes — is so momentous.

“There was someone who said to me, and it kind of jarred me a little, it was in my early 30s and they basically said, ‘It’s done. Past. You’re too old,'” she recalled in a recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning.

But when COVID happened, the calling to do music grew louder, she told Howard Stern. “When it started to calm down just a little bit, and I could be reflective of what my life creatively has been up until now, that is when I was like, ‘I have to do music.’”

For someone who was told, time and again, that a female musician is “finished” 30, I relate to this so much. That’s why seeing Hudson’s self-discovery and creative ventures is all the more validating that I, too, did the right thing when I started a band five years ago.

Yet, of course, admittedly, I can’t help but feel a little envious, too. Hudson is one of the biggest stars on the planet: Her Instagram account alone boasts 3 million followers. She’s got the time and resources to afford childcare, voice lessons, and the best session musicians money can buy.

She also benefits from a ton of recognition and A-List publicity. Hudson’s Stern Show singing debut came on the heels of a private concert she and her band just put on in New York City where some of the A-list attendees included Daniel Craig and Leonardo DiCaprio, according to reports. 

Most moms in indie rock bands don’t have A-list, or even B-list, friends. We also need to line-item-budget for every little expenditures — including recording time, production, social media marketing, and so forth. Many of us can barely afford childcare, let alone an extra $20K per month to spend on makeovers, meet-and-greets, and recording engineers,

Still, as I patiently wait for my (very hard earned) moment, I am mostly feeling happy to live in world with more and more Kate Hudson types are at least trying crack the age-based glass ceiling. Just because you’re halfway to 90 doesn’t mean you shouldn’t belt it out. Just ask Kevin Bacon or Johnny Depp. It’s about time for a rockmommy with Hudson’s star power to dismantle the idea that one is “finished” at a certain age. But what would really help is if Hudson takes a cue from Olivia Rodrigo and hires a Gen X mom band to open up for her on tour.

Marisa Torrieri Bloom is the editor and founder of Rockmommy.