Wild Harbors build 'Monument' with poignant, personal stories

Alt-pop duo’s full-length debut bows March 15

Maryland-based husband/wife duo Wild Harbors are set to bow their anticipated full-length debut, “Monument,” on March 15. Produced by Andrew Osenga (Laura Story, Caedmon’s Call), the alt-pop singer/songwriter collection features 10 story-driven tracks wrapped in memorable melodies and warm harmonies. 

“Monument” is highlighted by the title-cut, a deeply personal anthem for Wild Harbors’ Chris and Jenna Badeker, reminding them of God’s guiding hand in every step of their journey.

“Writing ‘Monument’ coincided with us making the leap to leave a decade of other careers behind and follow God's call to focus on music,” Chris said. “We marveled at how easy it is to forget the reasons why we do what we do when life gets hard, and we were reminded of how the Israelites built monuments to have a visual, physical reminder of what God had done for them. These reminders help us look back to what's true, as well as guide our path forward.” 

The project also features two poignant selections addressing marriage: the passionate “House On Fire” grapples with Chris’ perspective on relational tensions, while “Alone Together” explores Jenna’s fear of isolation.

“I was afraid of getting married and living a really lonely life inside that marriage,” Jenna shared. “In the age of social media, we have tons of interaction with people, but there’s no intimacy. Everyone’s more connected than ever, but they’re lonelier than ever.”

A showcase of the couple’s storytelling style, “Ballad of Wallace and Jessie” was inspired by a musician aboard the Titanic who played his violin on the ship’s deck as passengers boarded lifeboats. 

“He realized he could use his talent in that moment, at great cost to himself, to get people through this tragedy," Chris said of the man’s sacrifice.

“The heart of that story is that someone would lay down their life for another,” Jenna added. “For us, that’s the heart of Christ.”

The Badekers began making music together at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, and have since released two EPs – “Monument Part One” and “Monument Part Two” – as Wild Harbors. Their songs “Abigail” and “House On Fire” were among UTR Media’s top tracks of 2018, and the duo’s music has been featured on various Spotify playlists, including Indie Spirit, Faith Finds and New Music Friday.

For further information, visit wildharbors.com or turningpointpr.com. Follow the duo on Facebook and Instagram.