The Covid-19 pandemic has seen thousands of families and partners stranded on either side of the Australian border. But for Monique Clare, being separated from her partner has lead to an unexpected opportunity for artistic expression.
Her gentle, immersive new single, In The Quiet, nestles itself perfectly into the landscape of 2020, capturing the essence of missing someone far from home …”a memory of your smile, melts through the room, and all too soon, is gone for one more while”. With soaring cello lines woven through a texture of serene choral voices, Monique carves out a musical reverie to get lost in. Her lyrics speak to the ruminations of her generation and dive deep into the universal experiences of love and loss.
The accompanying music video is a heart-warming and intimate travelogue that follows Monique’s journey across the ocean to be reunited with her partner. It offers a glimpse into air travel during a pandemic, from an eerily quiet check-in to non-existent queues and over 24 hours in a face mask. “I wanted to document this pivotal moment in my life. I’m an artist and storyteller; it’s what I do. It feels scary to share such a personal story, but I find when I let myself be vulnerable with my music, it can open up closer connections with my listeners”.
After releasing previous singles, You Are and It Works earlier this year, In The Quiet is the third single from Monique’s forthcoming debut album. Occupying the liminal space between pop, folk, and art music, In The Quiet, draws heavily on Monique’s classical training and influences including Björk and Joanna Newsom. Genre fluid, technically sublime, and multifaceted, Monique Clare is a storyteller at heart and one of Australia’s emerging songwriters.
Monique returns to Australia this summer to put the finishing touches on her debut album, set for release in 2021.
Readers also enjoyed our story about Folk Band Zumpà
