Friday, May 8, 2026

Local Singer Returns to Stage After Wildfire Ash Temporarily Silenced Her Voice

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Monet Bagneris [photo credit: Lineage Performing Arts Center]

A Pasadena singer whose voice was temporarily silenced after exposure to toxic wildfire ash is returning to the stage this month with a comeback concert organizers describe as a celebration of healing, resilience and renewal.

“From Silence to Song” is scheduled for May 23 and will feature Pasadena vocalist Monet Bagneris in a performance organizers describe as both a concert and a personal comeback story.

For nearly two months early last year, Bagneris lost her ability to speak after inhaling toxic wildfire ash that spread across the region following the fire. The singer said her throat went into shock from the exposure, leaving her unable to communicate except through a dry-erase board.

“I’m so grateful to God that I have my voice again,” Bagneris said in a December interview after releasing her holiday single “Can’t Wait for Santa.”

The event is being promoted alongside sponsorship opportunities for local businesses and supporters, including advertising space in a souvenir program book and event sponsorship packages.

Program book advertisements range from $50 for a business card placement to $500 for the back cover. Concert sponsorships begin at $100 and include recognition on event screens and lanyards, while a $200 premiere sponsorship also includes a signed CD from Bagneris.

“This moment means everything to me … thank you for being part of it,” Bagneris said in promotional materials for the concert.

Bagneris, who has performed at civic and community events throughout Pasadena, has continued recording and performing while also managing the Grammy Award-winning group A Taste of Honey.

The concert comes months after Bagneris recovered from a health ordeal connected to the Eaton Fire in Altadena.

The song marked her return to recording following months of recovery.

“I am at my core, an encourager,” Bagneris said at the time. “My mission is to be a source of hope for people who may feel like it’s a hopeless situation — to remind them that, hey, they’re seen, they’re heard, and they are valuable.”

Organizers said sponsorship information for the concert is available through Brand New Day Entertainment.

To reserve a seat email events@brandnewdayent.com.