MONIQUE
Maffei Hester
MONIQUE
Maffei Hester
Monique Maffei Hester is a professional singer, songwriter, speaker, and empowerment coach. As a public speaker, she uniquely combines singing with speaking to convey positive messages and accessible tools for self-awareness and change. She is also the host and producer of an online post called “Tea Talk,” where she shares engaging content and everyday life-inspired teaching to help people of all ages, identify their divinely given purpose, and learn to walk in the fullness of all they were uniquely created to be.
Her talents have opened doors for her to appear in multiple venues all over the U.S. and abroad, as a solo singing artist, as a National Anthem singer, also in an act with her husband Danny Hester, (a professional bodybuilder and Classic Mr. Olympia title holder), as a motivational speaker, and also as part of several Jazz trios. Most recently she is one half of a singing duo called; “The Style Tones.” They perform popular standards and show tunes, peppered with fun, cheeky dialogue in Las Vegas.
Monique's original songs have been featured in live bodybuilding shows, fitness videos, independent films, internet radio, and Christian radio and television. She also has a heart to give back and so has been the featured singer in senior/assisted living homes, for the Orange County Sheriff's Fallen Officers' Memorial Services, for Children's Hospital in Orange County, for the Queen of Hearts Foundation, for the Los Angeles Mission, and as a worship leader for several churches in Las Vegas and Los Angeles and Orange County, California.
Monique is also the co-creator of a lighthearted, educational, musical show for children called, “The Kaz & Mo Show,” (coming to a streaming app soon). She believes strongly that one way to promote real change is to teach people from an early age that kindness and love can foster healing and unity. And the way things are taught is very important – the approach must be palatable, entertaining, easy-to-emulate, and come from an authentic place: Monique often openly shares her own life experiences to help listeners know that they are not alone in what they're going through.
On a personal note...
I was bullied as a young person and often excluded from the "in crowd". You might think that would cause me to be angry or bitter toward people. Instead, I developed a tremendous amount of empathy for any living being who is being unjustly treated. It also made me strong and birthed a desire within me to become empowered and to help others to do the same.
I love helping people and teaching and sharing things I've learned. I believe it's more beneficial to that person to equip him or her with the skills necessary to accomplish tasks on his/her own. Doing so creates an opportunity for independence, and provides options that might not have otherwise been available to him or her. #empowerment
It might sound cliche, but I believe in the power of prayer. Why?
Because I've seen the results of it. I've had the honor of praying for so many folks in ALL KINDS of places. And to see the LIGHT in their faces after they hear an encouraging word or better still, when they get confirmation of something secret they were holding deep inside,
it's one of the most amazing things I have experienced in my life.
The last thing I'll share with you now is that I lived in Nashville, Tennessee for about one year. This move was a HUGE change for me. I went on my own, left a prominent job, my family, my boyfriend (now my husband), and everything that was familiar to me. I knew though that Nashville was where I was supposed to be, even if only for a season. It was during this time that I made a dear friend and a new business partner in a co-venture called "The Kaz and Mo Show." It's a series of educational, musical children's videos, and a wonderful outlet for me where I can really use my character voices and express
My taste in music is very eclectic,
from Opera & Classical to Jazz
& Blues, from Motown to Americana, from Cinematic to EDM. Consequently, I write and sing in many different genres.
WHO'S ON MY PLAYLIST?
Aretha Franklin, Kari Jobe, Sarah Vaughan, Mary J. Blige, Mercy Me, Placido Domingo, Patty Griffin, Bruno Mars, Nick Jonas, Christina Aguilera, Barbra Streisand, Cody Carnes, Worship Mob, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, just to name a few.
I was raised both Catholic and Protestant.
So we attended Mass on Saturdays and two Pentecostal services ("kids' church" and the "grown up's" service) every Sunday. There was also the occasional Wednesday night healing service. It was a lot of church to sit through but IT PLANTED A SEED IN ME that never left. And even though I would walk away from it in my teens and in several of the years that followed, GOD NEVER LET GO OF ME. It's like He reserved all the good stuff I had experienced and filtered out all the misguided, religious garbage that was inflicted upon me. For this I AM SO GRATEFUL. We all have our paths in life; I remember the day so clearly, that God called me on to mine. With my whole heart and with both eyes open, I can attest that at that moment I CHOSE TO CHANGE MY LIFE and to BELIEVE what I now believe. I received God's love for me and I have never looked back. #hallelujah
"You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
my SILLY side. (I hope to be sharing the show with you all soon.) At a certain point however, it was time to go back to sunny Cal and the loved ones I had left behind. I drove ACROSS THE COUNTRY 2,000 miles by myself. This may not seem like a big deal for some people, but for me it was a major accomplishment that perfectly wrapped up a phenomenal time of learning in my life. I know that my time in "Music City" was the catalyst for so many new ventures that were yet to come on my self-awareness journey; it ultimately led me to where I am now, the writer, arranger and performer of The Peace Project. Yay! #believeyouwill