TREMONTON, Utah — A star has emerged from Tremonton. Monroe Rigby, a 17-year-old native of the small Utah town, is home for the holidays before returning to France to continue a national tour.
Rigby recently rose to international fame after winning Season 11 of the French music competition Prodiges, a victory fueled by her operatic vocal prowess.
“I did a televised classical arts competition. It centers around classical music,” Rigby said. “They have dancers and people playing instruments, all under the age of 16 years old.”
Rigby won the competition in early 2025 at age 16. She described the show as a classical version of American Idol. Following her win, she signed with Warner Classics to record her debut album.
“I’m working on a lot of projects, and I have met a lot of good people that are helping me,” she said.
The daughter of Micah and Martine Rigby, Monroe is now preparing for a series of performances in historic venues across France. “I will be performing in churches and cathedrals all over the country,” she said.
Rigby credits her fluency in French to her mother, who ensured the family grew up with a “double culture.” Martine Rigby immigrated to France from the Democratic Republic of the Congo at age 8, later moving to the United States at age 21.
“When we went to France for the competition, it was like going home for her,” Monroe said.
The Rigbys’ international roots run deep. Martine served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England, while Micah served a mission in Sapporo, Japan. The couple met and married while attending Brigham Young University. Micah now practices as a chiropractor in Tremonton.
While Monroe grew up in a household of athletes—her four older brothers competed in state and national tennis tournaments—she has pivoted fully toward music.
“I’ve been singing for the past 10 years,” she said. “I was going to pursue sports in college. But after this year, I am pursuing everything I can to become a singer.”
The upcoming spring tour may include a high-profile stop at the Vatican for the “Jubilee of the Poor,” where Pope Francis is expected to speak.
Before her international breakout, Rigby honed her skills locally. She studied with Thomas Glenn, a vocal coach and professor at Utah State University, and worked with Stefan Espinosa in the USU theater program. She was also a participant in the Utah Festival Opera’s youth program.
While opera is her foundation, Rigby also enjoys pop and easy-listening music. Her mother, Martine, hopes Utahns will continue to follow and support her daughter’s rising career.
“Monroe can really benefit from Utah’s support,” Martine said. “Prodiges airs on prime-time TV on France 2, one of the country’s oldest and main channels.”