MONIQUE CLARE EPK
Primary Contact:
moniqueclaremusic (at) gmail.com
LINKS
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/moniqueclaremusic/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/moniqueclaremusic
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/3zQWN1nkGlvo1MpwTuZBWk?si=Frw7Qn-yRTGglVoiT7HwFQ
Bandcamp https://moniqueclare.bandcamp.com/
Live video 1: Better Now
Live video 2: Hourglass
Official Music Video: “It Works”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osZDfZwpnpw
PROMOTER Toolkit
For venues and festivals, you can find short videos for social media, poster templates and FAQs in my toolkit:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/18Mz3wRGz4bmDVAgDeVqrHe6r5Saoytl2?usp=drive_link
BIO OPTIONS
ONE LINE (23 WORDS)
Wielding a cello and powerhouse vocals, Monique Clare is an acclaimed indie-folk songwriter with a live show that is electrifying, mesmerising and impactful.
SHORT (47 WORDS)
Wielding a cello and powerhouse vocals, Monique Clare is an acclaimed indie-folk songwriter whose captivating authenticity leaves a trail of tears and laughter in her wake. She’s taught in Afghanistan, played cello with Eminem, and toured across Europe with a live show that’s electrifying, mesmerising and impactful.
STANDARD (85 WORDS)
Wielding a cello and powerhouse vocals, Monique Clare is a multi award-winning songwriter whose captivating authenticity leaves a trail of tears and laughter in her wake. With an intrepid spirit that's seen her teach in Afghanistan, play cello with Eminem to a crowd of 80,000 people, and tour her solo project across Europe, her live show is electrifying, mesmerising and impactful. Like a warm hug after a cold plunge, her trailblazing take on indie-folk follows unexpected twists and turns, peppered with art-pop and classical influences.
MEDIUM (132 WORDS)
Wielding a cello and powerhouse vocals, Monique Clare is a multi award-winning songwriter whose captivating authenticity leaves a trail of tears and laughter in her wake. With an intrepid spirit that's seen her teach in Afghanistan, play cello with Eminem to a crowd of 80,000 people, and tour her solo project across Europe, her live show is electrifying, mesmerising and impactful. Like a warm hug after a cold plunge, her trailblazing take on indie-folk follows unexpected twists and turns, peppered with art-pop and classical influences.
With two albums under her belt, she’s earned accolades at the Australian Folk Music Awards and Queensland Music Awards, an emerging talent award at Celtic Connections in Scotland, a National Live Music Awards nomination, and was the Folk Alliance Australia’s Young Artist of the Year in 2017.
LONG (200 WORDS)
Wielding a cello and strikingly crafted vocals, multi award-winning songwriter Monique Clare weaves cathartic and mesmerising indie-folk laced with chamber pop. From tears of grief to tears of laughter, her deeply personal storytelling is hugged by driving rhythms, heart-tugging harmonies and intricate cello lines. Her intrepid career has spanned teaching in war-torn Afghanistan, touring her critically acclaimed album ‘Sight’ to festivals across Europe, and leading hikers up mountainsides for sunrise concerts. Monique’s disarmingly candid stage presence is born from years of international touring with The Maes, playing cello for everyone from Kate Miller-Heidke to Eminem, and gracing stages from the Melbourne Cricket Ground to Telluride Bluegrass Festival.
Featured on ABC’s Music Show, her 2022 debut ‘Sight’ took out album and song of the year at the AFMAs and QMAs. Her trailblazing style has resulted in a growing list of accolades: she was nominated for the 2023 National Live Music Awards, awarded a Danny for her 2024 performance at Celtic Connections in Scotland, and named 2017 Young Artist of the Year by Folk Alliance Australia. With a smile as wide as the Cheshire cat's, and an audacious tendency to reveal her deepest secrets onstage, her live show is offbeat and impactful.
LONG + QUOTES (226 WORDS)
Wielding a cello and strikingly crafted vocals, multi award-winning songwriter Monique Clare weaves cathartic and mesmerising indie-folk laced with chamber pop. From tears of grief to tears of laughter, her deeply personal storytelling is hugged by driving rhythms, heart-tugging harmonies and intricate cello lines. Her intrepid career has spanned teaching in war-torn Afghanistan, touring her critically acclaimed album ‘Sight’ to festivals across Europe, and leading hikers up mountainsides for sunrise concerts. Monique’s disarmingly candid stage presence is born from years of international touring with The Maes, playing cello for everyone from Kate Miller-Heidke to Eminem, and gracing stages from the Melbourne Cricket Ground to Telluride Bluegrass Festival.
Featured on ABC’s Music Show, her 2022 debut ‘Sight’ took out album and song of the year at the AFMAs and QMAs. Her trailblazing style has resulted in a growing list of accolades: she was nominated for the 2023 National Live Music Awards, awarded a Danny for her 2024 performance at Celtic Connections in Scotland, and named 2017 Young Artist of the Year by Folk Alliance Australia. With a smile as wide as the Cheshire cat's, and an audacious tendency to reveal her deepest secrets onstage, her live show is offbeat and impactful.
“She is a must see” – Heidi Pritchard, National Folk Festival
“A force to be reckoned with” - Playlist Play, USA
"Incredibly beautiful" - ABC Radio National
“Extraordinary” - Limelight Magazine
FULL (279 WORDS)
Wielding a cello and powerhouse vocals, Monique Clare is a multi award-winning songwriter whose captivating authenticity leaves a trail of tears and laughter in her wake. With an intrepid spirit that's seen her teach in Afghanistan, play cello with Eminem to a crowd of 80,000 people, and tour her solo project to festivals across Europe, her live show is electrifying, mesmerising and impactful. Like a warm hug after a cold plunge, her trailblazing take on indie-folk follows unexpected twists and turns, peppered with art-pop and classical influences.
With two albums under her belt, she’s earned a growing list of accolades including wins at the Australian Folk Music Awards and Queensland Music Awards, an emerging talent award at Celtic Connections in Scotland, a National Live Music Awards nomination, and Folk Alliance Australia’s Young Artist of the Year in 2017. Prior to relaunching her solo project, she toured extensively as part of The Maes, gracing stages like Telluride Bluegrass Festival (USA) and Orkney Folk Festival (SCO). Her own solo festival appearances include Cambridge Folk Festival (UK), Kaustinen Folk Festival (FIN), Seto Folk (EST), Woodford Folk Festival, Port Fairy, Queenscliff Music Festival and more. In 2021 Monique represented Australia at the World Expo in Dubai, recorded and released an international co-write with Amanda Rheaume in a project commissioned by Folk Music Canada, and produce collaborations with musicians from around the world as part of Global Music Match. Her debut album ‘Sight’ debuted at #11 on the AIR independent charts and featured on ABC’s The Music Show.
“She is a must see” – Heidi Pritchard, National Folk Festival
“A force to be reckoned with” - Playlist Play, USA
"Mesmerising" - Cambridge Radio, UK
“Extraordinary” - Limelight Magazine
PHOTO GALLERY
Right click and click “open in new tab” for full size images.
QUOTES
“The music is complex, full of ebbs and flows and unexpected interludes, wrapped around her wonderful cello and pin-point vocals”
- Listening Through The Lens
"Incredibly beautiful"
- ABC Radio National
“A powerful performance”
– Limelight Magazine
“Bold, clever and vivid… icicle sharp vocals”
- BMA Magazine
"Her raw and honest lyrics (spoke) to each person in the audience".
- CutCommon Magazine
“Her performances offered immersive musical experiences that left audiences deeply moved”
- Arts North West
"Beautiful, dark, and alluring"
- Nkechi, Triple J
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2026 ‘Live At The Festival Of Small Halls’ a finalist for Contemporary Album of the Year at the Australian Folk Music Awards
2026 Second solo tour of Europe & the UK
2025 ‘Live At The Festival Of Small Halls’ album released
2025 Festival Of Small Halls, Summer tour including Woodford Folk Festival and Cygnet Folk Festival
2024 Festival appearances: Cambridge Folk Festival (UK), Seto Folk (Estonia), Kaustinen Folk Festival (Finland)
2024 Support act for Kate Miller-Heidke
2024 Danny award recipient at Celtic Connections, Scotland
2024 Official showcase artist at Showing Roots, Ireland
2023 Australian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Album Of The Year
2023 National Live Music Awards finalist for Best Live Instrumentalist
2023 Queensland Music Award for Contemporary Classical Song Of The Year
2022 Interviewed on ABC’s The Music Show
2022 ‘Sight’ debuts at #11 on the AIR independent albums chart
2022 Festival appearances: Queenscliff Music Festival, Caloundra Music Festival, River Folk Festival, Tablelands Folk Festival, Rockhampton River Festival, the Goats Acoustic Sessions, Brisbane Festival.
2022 Featured in an interview on ABC’s The Music Show
2021 Invited to perform at the World Expo in Dubai
2021 Invited to co-write and release a song with indigenous Canadian artist Amanda Rheaume, commissioned by Folk Music Canada
2021 Selected by Sounds Australia to participate in Global Music Match
2020 Official showcase artist at Folk Alliance Exchange Conference, Geelong
2020 cellist and backing vocalist for Kate Miller-Heidke at Eurovision: Australia Decides broadcast live on SBS
2017-2020 solo performances at Woodford Folk Festival 2017, Port Fairy Folk Festival 2018, the National Folk Festival 2018, Blue Mountains Music Festival 2018, Fairbridge Folk Festival 2019, Mullum Music Festival 2019 and Cygnet Folk Festival 2020
2019 cellist and backing vocalist for The Maes on tour in Australia, Canada, the USA, UK and Ireland
2019 cellist for Eminem at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
2019 Official showcase artist at Folk Alliance International Conference, Montreal
2018 Official showcase artist at Folk Alliance International Conference, Kansas City
2018 Toured internationally as part of The Maes, including Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Orkney Folk Festival
2017 showcase artist at Australian Music Week
2017 Ros Hales Award for Women in Music
2017 Released debut EP, which exceeded its target through a Pledgemusic campaign
2017 Folk Alliance Australia Young Artist of the Year
2017 Grant recipient from the Williamson Foundation for Music, to attend Sierra Fiddle Camp in the USA
2017 QUBE Effect finalist
2012-2017 performances at Woodford Folk Festival, the National Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, the National Celtic Festival, Dorrigo Folk Festival, Newstead Live Music Festival and more with previous projects the Mulberry Collective and Rhiannon & Monique
2015 Grant recipient, QLD Gov Individuals Fund & Australia Council Development Grant, for professional development in the USA
2015 Vada Jefferies Prize winner, for best performance of solo Bach (Queensland Conservatorium)
Griffith Award for Academic Excellence in Bachelor of Music
2014 Performance at the Sydney Opera House in the Australian Youth Orchestra
2013 Golden Fiddle Award for Youth Achievement, as Rhiannon & Monique
2012 Folk Alliance Australia Youth Artist of the Year, as Rhiannon & Monique
2011 Australian Society for Music Education composition competition winner: sacred music division
Stage plot
