Marcia Hines has opened up about the struggles of becoming a mother when she was just a teenager.
Hines was just 17 when she gave birth to her daughter, singer Deni Hines in 1970. She had just been “discovered” and was debuting in the stage musical Hair, and returned to the stage just nine days after giving birth.
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Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Hines said that she had always loved children and credited her supportive mother for “accepting” the surprise pregnancy, despite the stigma that existed around teen pregnancies.
“When I told my mum, she said, ‘Do what you can and if you can’t cope, bring the baby home [to Boston] and I’ll help you out,’” she said.
“Eventually my mother came to live with us; I was blessed with good people around me.”
The American – Australian star went on to have a glittering career in music, both onstage and in the studio, and later starred on Australian Idol as a judge, during which she took on a supportive and motherly role to the contestants.
Hines said that becoming a mother “taught her selflessness” and “more about [herself] than you’d ever know”, and that while having a baby so young made her grow up quickly, she wouldn’t change it.
Marcia Hines is currently starring in stage show Velvet, on tour around Australia.