SONGWRITERS & SWEETHEARTS

Giselle Felice and Erik Abernathy have combined their music talents for a relationship that shines on and o the stage.

// BY MELISSA PETERSON

Irst heard Giselle Felice and Erik Abernathy perform at the Marion Theatre’s preopening event in August. I was impressed with their onstage chemistry and how uidly the two could switch from Erik playing traditional Brazilian guitar music to Giselle singing Stevie Nicks’ “Landslide.” Come to nd out, this performance was the rst inperson show the duo had performed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they were just as excited about once again performing live as I was about seeing a live performance. “It sounds silly, but it was so strange to hear clapping or ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ during our set,” Giselle explains. “Making people feel emotion and having that feeling returned to you while performing “I LOVE THAT I CAN SHARE SOMETHING I LOVE SO MUCH WITH MY PERSON. WE AGREE on stage is what I live for.” THAT MUSIC IS SUCH A LARGE I knew he was an incredible guitarist, but I had no idea Erik’s love of music began at 7 years old when his mother gave him an acoustic guitar for Christmas. With PART OF WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE AND BEING ABLE TO (honestly!) that he was interested in me. We started dating in February 2019, but we didn’t brand ourselves as a music duo until later that fall.” roots in rock and blues, Erik branched out to jazz in high school, and he joined the jazz program at the University SHARE BOTH OUR STORY AND OTHER STORIES THROUGH As a duo their style melds their roots in jazz and pop with Brazilian spirit and folk in uences. With details interjected into their shows about their of Florida. “Jazz has had a large in uence on my current style,” he says. “When I started OUR MUSIC TOGETHER IS... JUST THE BEST. personal relationship and how it has in uenced their songwriting, listening to the duo perform is an invitation into their lives. college at UF, I also became interested -GISELLE FELICE “I love that I can share something I love so much with in classical guitar. Shortly afterward, I my person,” Giselle says. “We agree that music is such a fell in love with Brazilian music. This is now my favorite style of music to large part of who we are as people and being able to share both our story both perform and enjoy.” and other stories through our music together is... just the best.”

Giselle began her music career early as well, with singing and piano “I love the juxtaposition between our two lifestyles as a couple and lessons beginning at age 3. She also performed on the TV show Barney and as musicians,” Erik adds. “We can enjoy our morning co ee together in Friends and with the Orlando Opera Company. our PJs and that night be performing our music on stage all dressed up.

“The best way I can describe my original music is folk with a bit of an I love having both.” unplugged pop feel—it should make you feel cozy and introspective,” she With upcoming shows at Ocala’s La Cuisine French Restaurant and the says. “I joined the UF jazz program in 2017 and fell in love with performing new NOMA Gallery, the future is looking bright for the couple. They are as a jazz vocalist.” also excited to release some singles over the next few months.

Giselle and Erik met in fall 2017 as members of the UF jazz band, and they “It will be the rst time that we release music as a duo,” says Giselle. also played in a handful of small combos together. It wasn’t until summer “While we both have our individual passions and projects, we really want 2018 that they had their rst gig as a duo. to keep our duo’s momentum going.”

“I wanted Giselle to perform with me because not only is she an amazing singer, but I also wanted an excuse to get to know her better,” Giselle & Erik // Subscribe to Giselle and Erik’s newsletter at says Erik. gisellefelice.com/giselleanderik to stay up to date on upcoming shows.

“Same, sort of,” says Giselle. “I wanted to perform with Erik because You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram: @giselleanderik