For the past decade-plus, though, their closest friends haven’ t seen this side of them. After one baby, then two, and with dual, demanding jobs— Alyssa teaching and Matt counseling— performing was limited to weddings, fundraisers, and the occasional restaurant.
At a fireside jam in fall 2024, Matt picked up a guitar.“ Nobody really knew Matt could do that,” Alyssa said. That led to the couple opening the Hackmania music fest this past September, followed by gigs at Story Inn and Offbeet Bakery— plus, a flurry of songwriting: 12 in about six weeks.
“ It sort of hit us: Our kids( Elayna, 16, and Eyan, nearly 13) don’ t really need us as much anymore. We could … have that part of ourselves back,” Matt said.
Both started taking music lessons at age five: Matt on piano, then guitar; Alyssa on violin. Both were pastor’ s kids, raised on praise and worship in the Church of the Nazarene. Matt’ s father’ s church was in Odon, Ind.
Alyssa’ s father David Hayes’ church was Parkview in
Nashville. He then served at churches in Ukraine, Arizona, and other Indiana towns before returning to Parkview.
Matt sang in the children’ s choir; Alyssa’ s favorite pastime during services was to make up harmonies.
Their paths crossed at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., at an audition. Matt, a senior, had been playing in PR groups for Olivet, worship teams that travel around sharing the university’ s Christian mission. Matt was the sole remaining member of PraiZe and was tasked with building a new group.
“ Alyssa showed up and I think I had seen her on campus, maybe seen her play violin at some other event once or twice, but I didn’ t really know who she was,” Matt said.
Alyssa knew Matt, though.“ I remember being kind of like, not fangirl-y, but I was intimidated by him because he was more like a celebrity, and I didn’ t know if I could talk to him or not.”
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