This is a bit facetious and might make some people angry. I'm not picking on mothers! However my opinion is based on my experience and observation. Unless they are proven music industry professionals -- hopefully managers -- do not hire your mother, father, uncle, cousin, brother, next door neighbor, boyfriend, etc. to manage your career. Rather than destroying a career this is often a way to stop a career dead in its tracks on the way to the launch pad. Even if the relative or friend is a proven personal manager, still give it some serious thought. More than one artist has ended up suing their father or other relative over the way their relative handled their career. Tragically then the breakup is not only a business one but a personal one.
Assume you work for a record label and it is your job to decide whether or not a budding artist is going to be signed. Assume further that you have three extraordinarily talented young artists to choose from. Depending on the size of your label you will be committing anywhere from $500,00 to $1,000,000 or more to “break” the artist. Choose wrong too many times and your job might be in jeopardy - indeed everybody’s job at the label given the state of the music industry today.
Given those facts, do you care who the artist’s professional team is? Of course you do. These people can help or hinder the road to success for the artist, you and the label. Artist number 1 has no manager at all. Artist number 2 is managed by a successful industry manager. And artist number 3 is managed by her mother who is the successful owner of a local bakery. All things equal, which artist will you sign? Number 2 of course. Second choice (first in the case of some record people) will be artist number 1 since the label will have the opportunity to make manager suggestions to the artist.
Relatives - particularly close relatives like mothers and fathers - are not always able to exercise cool objectivity and professionalism when needed. They love their children and want to protect them for sure. A noble cause but not necessarily best when it comes to making business decisions. Music industry gatekeepers know this. They have learned it the hard way. There was a time when I presented unsigned artists to labels in hopes of procuring a recording agreement for my client. Even though I had strong relationships at the labels I learned that some would not even let me in the door if I had mentioned that mom or dad would be involved in career management. One powerful producer told me that he did not want to even listen or see a picture of an artist managed by a relative for fear he might like the artist and sign them. I believe that reinforces the point I am trying make.
There have been artists managed by one parent or another who have become quite successful. To the best of my knowledge there aren’t that many. Some have overcome the “parent” hex and turned out to be competent music industry managers (Joseph Jackson). But even then some of those have had very public parent-child arguments and eventual break-ups - both professionally and personally (Leann and Wilbur Rimes). So as a rule if you have aspirations of becoming a successful recording artist, and have reached the age of majority and have a choice, think twice before committing the guidance of your career to a inexperienced parent or other relative, no matter how good your and their intentions might be.