Monique Clare

• Folk Pop
• Singer/Songwriter

With only her voice, four strings and a cello bow, Monique Clare carves out a musical landscape to get lost in. Driving rhythms collide with intricate cello lines; heart-tugging harmonies weave through compelling vocals. Her lyrics speak to the ruminations of her generation and dive deep into the universal experiences of love and loss. Live, Monique is mesmerising and cathartic. She draws listeners into her storytelling, sifting through the raw, the imperfect and the unspoken. Always seeking connection, she craves the rush of an intimately honest performance.

Raised by a singer and a pipe organist who shared a mutual love of Bach, Gregorian chant and French Impressionist harmony, Monique grew up in a habitat of choirs, surrounded by layers of individual voices which form an immersive wall of sound. While she was surrounded by music, it took her 13 years to discover Björk, 16 to form a Radiohead obsession, 21 to catch on to The Beatles and 26 to fall in love with Joni Mitchell.

On top of this musical baptism of fire has been an array of experiences as a multi-genre session musician. From touring internationally with Melbourne outfit The Maes, to being a hired gun for world-class artists such as Kate Miller-Heidke, The Whitlams, Katie Noonan and Eminem, to accompanying legendary fiddle player Darol Anger, she’s absorbed a set of entirely divergent genres and approaches to music. Playing on stages like the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Woodford Amphitheatre and the Orkney Folk Festival with these artists has given her an unshakable stage presence that she carries into her own shows.

Monique’s fearless and intrepid nature craves adventure, from teaching cello in war-torn Afghanistan to leading groups of listeners up a mountainside in the dark for a sunrise concert. She jumps into cold water as a ritualistic reminder that anything is possible. Through her songwriting, Monique challenges her listeners to do the same: be vulnerable and courageous.