Congratulations are in order for Michelle Branch. The singer gave birth to her third child, a daughter named Willie Jacquet Carney, earlier this month. Willie is Branch’s second child with her husband, The Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney. Little Willie’s arrival came after Branch announced she suffered a miscarriage in 2020. This is the second child for the couple, who are also parents to 3-year-old son Rhys James. Branch is also mom to daughter Owen Isabelle, 16, from a previous marriage.
The singer shared the exciting news of Willie’s birth on Instagram on Friday, revealing that she gave birth on Wednesday, Feb. 2. Sharing a sweet photo of her newborn daughter swaddled in the same blanket Rhys was wrapped in following his birth, Branch introduced Willie to her followers, writing, “Welcome to the world, sweet Willie girl.” Going on to share her little one’s name and birth date, Branch explained the significance behind Willie’s name, revealing, “She’s named after Patrick’s grandmother Willie Madge and has my mother’s maiden name/my middle name. We’re so in love.” Meanwhile, Carney added in his own post that “the stork came February 2 at 7:12 am and dropped off a baby girl for [Michelle Branch] and I.” Carney added that Willie ticked in at “7 pounds 5 ounces and 18 FEET HEIGHT.”
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Branch and Carney began dating following her split from Teddy Landau in 2014. After Carney proposed in July 2017, the couple tied the knot in 2019. They welcomed their first child together in August 2018. Just days after Christmas 2020, Branch revealed that she had suffered a miscarriage.
“Just when we were rounding third and heading home (A baseball metaphor?! I know.) 2020 was like, ‘Nah, I ain’t done yet.’ December decided to really finish us off with a bang! No, literally. A bomb went off in downtown Nashville yesterday. And to further twist a dagger in my heart, I experienced my first miscarriage (ugh! Motherf-ker!),” she wrote at the time. “But alas, between the crying and binge eating of Christmas cookies, I decided to put on lipstick and a dress.”
Branch and Carney shared the exciting news in August 2021 that they were expecting a rainbow baby, and just as that exciting announcement did, news of little Willie’s arrival sparked an outpouring of messages. Reacting to Branch’s post, Singer-songwriter Alyssa Bonagura commented, “A beautiful girl!!!!! So so so happy for y’all!!! Congratulations.” Somebody else wrote, “Welcome, Willie!! Congratulations to the whole beautiful family!!”
