The music of Eric & Monique is an exceptional blending of intelligence and beauty. The husband-wife duo are international musicianaries and singer-songwriters who write deeply biblical, piano-driven songs that have a genre-blending sound. Being likened to 'Gungor', 'All Sons & Daughters', 'Keith Green' and 'The Brilliance', their original compositions strive to allow space for the Holy Spirit to minister in a setting of lyrical efficiency, a classically tinged piano and vocal harmony commonly found only in siblings.

Performing together for the first time in 2009, audiences from around the world have been encouraged by Eric & Monique’s live performance that exudes humility and emotional honesty. Their songs and message are filled with God’s promises, His love and moving challenges for our spiritual walk that transcends age and cultural divides.

Eric & Monique’s early relationship did not begin with a shared love of music, but rather a friendship that began one evening in a computer room with a long conversation, a tripped over rubbish bin and a similar desire to follow God. Marrying in 2008, Eric & Monique began their life together as a youth pastor and high school teacher respectively. Though they loved and were serving God, they felt as though something was missing, that they were caught in materialism and mere cultural Christianity. After a lot of prayers, they quit their jobs to give a year to God; to focus on trusting Him for the direction of their lives. That year, 2009, saw Eric & Monique volunteering in Ukraine and attending Bible College in the United States while God was teaching them lessons of deep faith in His promises.

2009 also saw Eric & Monique sing together for the first time. Music, singing and songwriting has always been a part of Eric’s journey from the time he was a young child composing on the piano to when he was involved in praise and worship at his local church, conferences and in college. Monique had never focused on music other than childhood lessons in violin, piano and voice, rather she enjoyed the creative pursuits of creative writing and graphic design. It took a friend’s determined and God-Ordained suggestion resulting in a hesitant Monique joining Eric to sing a song at a collaborative concert at their Bible College for the sound of Eric & Monique to be born. Two months later, Eric & Monique sang at the Generation of Youth for Christ convention in Louisville, Kentucky for a live audience of 5000 and a live streaming audience of thousands more. This was only the third time they had sung together.

Their début full-length album, Pilgrim (2010), was released with the help of Psalter Music manager, Tim Burcham and producer, Dale Willis. Tim Burcham said of Pilgrim: “I’ve long imagined an album that represents the everlasting gospel in music and Pilgrim is the closest I’ve heard to achieving that dream. The music is simple and modern, with lush arrangements and production, while the thoughts and images are epic, ensuring a sense of reverence so often missing from modern Christian music.” 

After the release of Pilgrim, a season followed that was brimming with ministry while still in flux after a realisation of God’s call to full-time music ministry, which Eric & Monique did not immediately follow. This time saw the release of two live albums: Live at Psalter Studios (2013, Psalter Music) and Songs of Ascent: Psalm 103 Tour (2014) with Matt & Josie Minikus.

This season filled with ministry, indecision and finally the decision to go into full-time music ministry also held the experiences that birthed the songs in Eric & Monique’s second full-length album, Everlasting (2015). A successful crowd-funding Kickstarter campaign for the album was the fruition of the global encouragement and support that has continually grown since the beginning of their musical journey. The Kickstarter campaign saw 155 people from around the world come together into a community that collectively backed $16,849 in October 2014 to partner with Eric & Monique to produce an album aimed at giving God the glory.

Eric & Monique’s latest album Everlasting, produced by Dale Willis and mastered by Grammy award-winner William Bowden, is an album encased with motifs inspired by Isaiah 40:28, yet fleshed out in lyrics loaded with gravitas, raw honesty and deeply biblical content. Musically, the album is the fruit of collaboration, with a cinematic thread woven through elements of folk, pop and alternative sounds underscoring raw and emotional vocals. In production, it was decided to focus on genuine and honest moments rather than flawless performance to service the lyrical content of the album.

With a lyrical narrative of two acts, Everlasting, at its base level explores the struggle between doubt and faith. In opener “Temporary”, Australiana flavour encases specific language that lays out the struggle of Romans 7:15-25. The classical flavours of Eric’s skilled piano are layered in the cinematic orchestration of “Don’t Miss The Boat” to express the lyrics “This world is out of control. Spinning round in circles. Blurring all our morals. What’s right? What’s wrong?” This inner conflict is continued in “Doubting Thomas” with a soundscape echoing anthemic qualities and the lyrics “I know that You’re there, even when I don’t feel so”. With a folk melody of acoustic guitar, mandolin and banjo, Everlasting’s centre track “Surrender” concludes the album’s first act dealing with spiritual struggle and points towards the second act that focus’ on faith and the Everlasting God. “God Is Love” and “Thank You” were the only two tracks on the album for the vocals to be recorded in one take each. This detail imbues a quiet atmosphere of praise in both the carefully crafted lyrics and the sparse, raw instrumentation. The closing track “There We Rise” is a jubilant call in both lyrical content and orchestration that follows Eric’s piano towards to the hope and assurance we have in Jesus Christ. 

Since 2009, Eric & Monique have travelled extensively as God has opened doors for their faith-driven music ministry in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, and throughout Australia. Their music has also been featured on the Australian Christian Channel, Hope Channel, and 3ABN. As they continue to spread the gospel through word and song, their prayer and focus is that Christ alone will be lifted up and given all the glory.

Written by Jennifer Jill Schwirzer