LA-Based Duo The Monroes Release Single, 'Better Half of Me'

Today, (Friday, April 29th) Newly formed LA-based duo The Monroes, comprised of Molly Kate Kestner and Brock Monroe, released the single and accompanying music video for "Better Half of Me" out now on all streaming platforms. Kestner is best known for her viral hit "His Daughter," which gained her worldwide attention in 2014.

Watch the independently made video for "Better Half of Me" directed by Brock Monroe HERE.

Listen to "Better Half of Me" on all streaming services now HERE.

The Monroes is a newly formed husband and wife duo who both have great success as individual artists, from performing on Good Morning America + sharing stages with Jason Mraz and Lady Gaga to writing songs for Kelly Clarkson and Andy Grammar. With over 1 mill+ combined followers, over 200M+ combined streams, and multiple syncs, their first single "Small Town Stars" released recently is a song about their journey and imposter syndrome that can come from following your dreams in LA when you are from a small town.

Says the duo of the song: "'Better Half of Me' is a timeless ballad that captures the feeling of loving someone more than you love yourself. The tenderness & sincerity in the vocals mixed with a production that can only be described as 'modern nostalgia', make this song an instant classic."

The track was written and produced by Nashville based writer/producer Johnny Hanson who is also featured on the song (as his artist name Walker Reinhardt). Says Johnny of the song: "I wanted to write a song that had some complexity in the melody and chord progression and some simplicity in the lyric, without it being inaccessible. Something timeless that sounded like a classic. I love the writing style of some of the classics that are now considered "vintage". I wanted to write about unconditional, sacrificial love. I'm so honored that Brock and Molly took on this song, being that they are both amazing writers themselves and don't need any help from me or anyone else. I truly can't imagine (no pun intended) anyone else singing this song to such perfection. It's exactly how I envisioned it and they brought it to life."

The video for "Better Half of Me" was shot on location in Nashville, TN and features both the married duo as well as Johnny and his wife. 8 millimeter film footage from the Hanson's wedding shot by Sharkpig Weddings also adds to the emotional aspect of the song. Says director Brock Monroe: "Directing 'Better Half of Me' was a labor of love for my other half Moly Kate Kestner, but also for the other piece of our musical puzzle Johnny Hanson (aka Walker Reinhardt). When Johnny brought us his beautiful song the images for the music video immediately came into my head. After hearing the news of his sweet wife Ashton being pregnant, it only made sense to make this video about their love for one another, how we identify with that marriage connection, and of course showing the result of their love for each other in the form of an ultrasound. Marriage can be a beautiful thing, and it's my hope to shed light on pure love and give everyone a little hope in a time when we need it most. "

About Molly Kate Kestner:

Molly Kate Kestner is a singer/songwriter whose soulful voice and timeless lyrics have set her apart since she was just a teenager. She was propelled into the music industry spotlight when her first original song she wrote at 17 years old went viral. "His Daughter," an emotional ballad she recorded for her friends and family received over 1.5 million views in less than two weeks (it currently sits at 16+ million), got her a performance on Good Morning America, and eventually led to a major label recording contract - something this small town Minnesota native had only dreamed of.

Molly Kate moved to Los Angeles in 2016 and has been busy writing songs for herself as well as for other established artists, such as Kelly Clarkson and Andy Grammer. She has released seven singles with Atlantic Records. Her song "Compromise" landed a national Jeep Campaign while her most popular release "Prom Queen" reached over 40 million streams on Spotify & Apple Music.

In 2019, Molly released her first independent single since "His Daughter." One week after it's release, she performed the song with 30,000 choir students to form the largest choir in America: The American Young Voices. It's since been used in various nationwide placements such as American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance.

When the world turned upside down in 2020, Kestner took the time to reflect and write. During that time she organized a virtual benefit concert to raise awareness and funds against human trafficking with over six thousand people tuning in and $10,000 raised. Since then, she's continued to write and record new music and she's looking forward to releasing it all. In a world that has seen so much darkness, it is her hope to create and share as much light as possible.

About Brock Monroe:

Brock Monroe is the newest member of the alt rock scene. His soulful rock voice mixed with thought-provoking lyrics, and his anthemic melodies usher in a new wave of what some have called "Power Pop Rock." Brock has been singing since the age of 5 in Phoenix, Arizona, but was first to hit the spotlight after winning the GMA for "Best Vocal" in 2007. This inspired him to move to Los Angeles where he quickly found himself in the Television/Studio world.

After finding success as a studio singer, Brock took to the underground music scene across LA. He was quickly discovered by Rodney " Darkchild " Jerkins who took interest in the young singer-songwriter. This stamp of approval gave Brock many opportunities and lead to his development as a writer, learning from the Bedingfields, Melanie Fontana, and "Wind Beneath My Wings" writer, Jeff Silbar. Brock's extensive experience in LIVE music has lead to him sharing the stage with artists Tori Kelly, Jordin Sparks, Katy Perry, MAX, Darren Criss, Shawn Hook, Echosmith, Barbra Streisand, and Eagles to name a few. Brock even found himself singing backup for Lady Gaga at the 2017 Super Bowl LI "Pepsi Halftime Show."

Follow The Monroes:

https://www.facebook.com/themonroesduo

https://www.instagram.com/themonroesduo/

https://twitter.com/themonroesduo

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