In the early weeks of the Covid pandemic, Chana Rothman, a Mt. Airy-based music artist and educator, joined a songwriting collective on Facebook. The group was called “Real Women, Real Songs” and encouraged participants to write weekly songs based on a prompt pulled out of a hat.

Stuck at home during the quarantine, Rothman found this creative exercise to be rewarding. So when many in the group went back to “gigging” after the lockdowns were over, Rothman had different plans.

“I was like, ‘I don’t want to be going out and performing. I want to record these songs,’” Rothman said.

Thus began the process of making “Mother of Creation,” Rothman’s upcoming 10-song album scheduled for release on May 9. To celebrate, Rothman will be performing a solo sneak peek at Hideaway Music in Chestnut Hill on April 4 and performing with a full band at The Fallser Club in East Falls on May 4.

Although she has performed not just around the country but also across the globe, Rothman intentionally chose to celebrate the new album in Northwest Philadelphia. It’s a practical choice, since she lives here, but it also helps grow the local music scene – which she loves. 

“I really wanted to keep things in the Northwest as much as possible, because I love this area,” Rothman said “It’s really important to me.”

A simmering passion

Mt. Airy is not the only place Rothman has called home. Born and raised in Toronto, Rothman first moved to the U.S. to study at Oberlin College in Ohio. Then, a series of moves followed, including Montreal, Colorado, British Columbia, Toronto (again), and New York. Rothman describes these as her “vagabond” years, working at various outdoor camps or environmental centers. But a common thread remained throughout her travels: a love of music and songwriting.

Rothman’s passion for music was “simmering” in the background for a long time before she decided to actively pursue it.

“Ever since I was eight, I wrote in a journal,” Rothman says. “I could fill multiple huge bins with journals.”

These stacks upon stacks of notebooks served as her way of processing the world around her, which naturally lent itself to songwriting. Rothman also played songs for friends and dabbled in recording her work. She would watch some of her favorite performers – such as the Indigo Girls and Ani DiFranco – and feel motivated to share her own music.

Yet it wasn’t until Rothman met her partner and moved to Brooklyn 20 years ago that she decided to really chase her music dreams. 

“This was my late 20s…either I’m going to sink all my energy into being an outdoor educator and environmental educator, or I’m going to try to really do the music thing,” Rothman said. “I decided something that I would regret the most was not trying music. So I did that.”

Songs rooted in hope

Rothman’s music blends folk, pop, and even hip-hop influences, while her lyrics are hopeful and resilient. She finds inspiration in a message Woody Guthrie once shared that the landscape is littered with songs that make you feel low, but his songs will always make you feel powerful. Rothman shares the same goal.

“I hope [listeners] feel uplifted,” Rothmans says. “This is a very powerful medium. So what you do with that is up to you…I hope things that get stuck in your head are things that make you feel good, things that make you feel seen.”

In “Mother of Creation,” Rothman focuses on themes such as community, motherhood, and her Jewish faith. For instance, in the song “Not For Sale,” Rothman sings of the power of the people in protecting the social fabric of their communities. This song became a rallying cry for Seth Anderson-Oberman’s campaign for City Council in 2023. 

Rothman’s experience as a mother to three children is highlighted in the song “Old Office (Mt. Airy Pediatrics),” which recalls the nostalgic appointments at her kids’ old pediatrician office. The title track also has maternal references; Rothman was inspired by a Jewish prayer of gratitude that uses male language and decided to adapt it to a female creator. 

Several of the songs on the album are rooted in Judaism and sung in Hebrew. Rothman finds inspiration from ancient Jewish texts, reinterpreting them for modern life.

Sharing music with the world

In addition to songwriting, Rothman finds that working with children has always come organically to her. Now teaching music at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, Rothman says she finds fulfillment and pride in seeing students tap into their creativity. In her free time, she also enjoys making bead jewelry, snowboarding, mountain biking, and relaxing on a camping hammock.

However, free time is a valuable commodity. Since revenue for artists on streaming sites is negligible, Rothman says working class musicians like her have to spend time making money in other ways. While they might want to focus their energy on writing songs and playing gigs, there are also plenty of other considerations to be made, such as signing up for distributors or posting on social media.

Despite those challenges, Rothman is still committed to sharing her music with the world. And she thinks the world might just be sending her messages too. 

“I think it’s really cool that for the April 4 gig, the single is called “Record Player” and that day I have a gig at a record shop,” Rothman says. “The album is called “Mother of Creation” and it’s being released during Mother's Day weekend…I feel like maybe that’s the universe saying this is all happening at the right time.” 

Chana Rothman will be performing at Hideaway Music (8232 Germantown Ave.) on April 4 at 7 p.m. The album release party at The Fallser Club (3721 Midvale Ave.) is scheduled for May 4 at 5 p.m.