Check out our interview with talented husband / wife duo The Monroes (Molly Kate Kestner and Brock Monroe) who just released their latest single and video for “I Still Love LA.”
This song is very much their own love letter to the city. The duo recently had a baby and have only grown to love living in LA more during this season of their lives. They were still playing live shows around town even as Molly was 9 months pregnant.
Last year they released multiple singles including the catchy and upbeat “Right at Home” and the tender and beautiful “Better Half of Me.”
Follow The Monroes @themonroesduo
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Hi Molly and Brock! Please tell us a little about your newest project The Monroes?
The Monroes is the result of hours spent with each other turning our love and our life into music. It’s our way to create collaborative art and do what we love most, which is to perform together and share stories of life, love, and the pursuit of truth.
Describe your sound in 3 words?
We like to do it in two…”Modern Nostalgia”…but if you need three… “INCREDIBLE Modern Nostalgia”.
Who influenced you and why did you choose to make music?
We both were influenced by each other. We’ve been making music separately for so long and it was not quite as fulfilling. We are best friends and just love being together, the idea of working together, having time on the road together, traveling and singing together is our great motivator. And now that we have a daughter, we want her to experience this life of adventure with us. Music is in us and you hear a portion of what comes out of us. There is so much more to come.
Tell us about your new single “I Still Love LA?”
“I Still Love LA” is our love letter to the place we call “Home”. We know there is good, bad, and ugly in the city we love, and we aren’t ashamed of it’s past, present, or future. We take the bad and the ugly with the good…and really the good is SO GOOD that we’ve stayed when so many left. We are both proud to say “I STILL LOVE LA”.
Now tell us about the success of your previous singles “Right at Home” and the tender and beautiful “Better Half of Me?”
We don’t tend to focus on the performance of our songs. Every song is an ingredient and a different flavor of what we are trying to create as a whole work of art. They are pieces of us. And the pieces work together to hopefully convey a message of hope, love, passion and peace. Right at Home is an upbeat song about friends who feel like family , whereas “Better Half of Me” is tender ballad about the love we share for one another. Very different moods, but both authentically “US”.
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
Hearing how the songs we’ve created have impacted peoples’ lives and touched their hearts. This is why playing Live means so much to us. We get to connect with the loving people that are connected to our music, and hear their stories after we’ve shared ours.
What advice would you give to your younger selves and why?
Brock: Buy apple stock.
MK: Listen to that still small voice inside you when everyone else is yelling what they think you should do.
Brock: Ok mk. Deep.
What’s next for The Monroes in 2023?
We have many new songs and videos coming down the pipeline that we are extremely excited to share. We have live shows coming, a line of new merchandise, and more songs being written and produced for our project. We are also excited about an up and coming animated film we have the opportunity of writing the music for. And of course, watching our baby Marlow Monroe grow as we go through it all together.
How would you describe your fashion style?
Brock: Our fashion is similar to our music. We love mixing the old with the new. There’s a bit of a cowboy in both of us having grandparents who were cowboys, but also, we are city people. So we find ourselves mixing the two and consider ourselves “California cowboys” with a bit of a British influence as well.
Mk: Comfy is King.
What is your own definition of happiness?
Brock: Breathing. I can find Joy in all things. Even Suffering. I went through a horrific health scare that nearly ended my life 2 years ago and I am just grateful to be alive, to spend time with my wife, to have our baby Marlow Monroe, living out my purpose, and making art for a living.
MK: Being at peace with where I am, who I am and with the ones I love.
If you could meet someone living or dead, who would it be and why?
Mk: “Queen” Julie Andrews. She has inspired me for years with her style, talent, and class. I’d love to have tea and crumpets with her.
Brock: “King” Jesus. Best buddies, but we’ve never hugged. That would be nice.
Mk: wow Brock. Deep.
Best advice ever given?
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Do you support any charities?
We have always been big fans of what Justin Mayo is doing down in Watts with RED EYE and the Watts Empowerment Center. Just going down there to be with the kids and community has been a blessing to us. We’ve also raised significant funds and awareness through our music and concerts for International Justice Mission (IJM), the largest anti human trafficking organization in the world. We care so much for the safety of our children and their families. If you’ve never heard of either of these organizations we encourage you to look into the incredible work they are both doing.
What is you favorite song to belt out in the car/for karaoke?
Oh my. We are currently singing “Strings of Gold” by Nikola Bedingfield off her Golden Phoenix record right now… The record is brilliant. But truth be told… the song we have screamed more than any other in the car is “Ave Maria” by David Bisbal. This is NOT the old ballad…this is pure joy and always gets us pumped.
Where we can follow you?
@themonroesduo is our Instagram and YouTube or @themonroes on TikTok.
FAVES:
Book:
MK: Scary Close by Don Miller
Brock: The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino.
Quote: “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. – Wayne Gretzky” – Michael Scott”
Movie:
Mk: While You Were Sleeping
Brock: Gladiator
Tv Series: We love The Office.
Favorite Food:
Mk: Thai food
Brock: Mediterranean food
Travel Destination: Of all the places we’ve traveled together we love Paris. But we hope to fill our passports for years to come.
Sports Team:
Brock: I’ve been a Chiefs fan for football my whole life, Phx Suns for basketball, St. Louis Cardinals for baseball and St. Louis Blues for Hockey. Marlow will also be a fan of these teams I hope.
Mk: Skøl Vikings!
Monroes: We also enjoy eating “Dodger Dogs” at live LA Dodgers games.
