2024 NAACP Image Awards: 6 Things You Didn’t Know About Victoria Monét
R&B singer Victoria Monét has taken the music industry by storm with her highly acclaimed praise as a breakthrough artist. Since the release of her recent album, “Jaguar II,” she continues to dominate and cement her status as a legend in the making. On top of her three Grammy wins, Monét leads with the highest recognition of six NAACP Image Awards nominations.
The singer isn’t a stranger to the music industry. But after deciding to pursue full-force as an artist, her undeniable talents are being rewarded immensely.
As her career continues to ascend, here are 6 Things You Didn’t Know About Victoria Monét.
She Started Her Career As A Songwriter
Before deciding to pursue songwriting, Monét attempted to enter the industry in a girl group. Legendary music producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins recruited Monét as a member of Purple Reign, but the vision was cut short after their label dropped the group. Monét then ventured into songwriting and earned her first credit on Diddy’s 2010 single “I Hate That You Love Me.” From there, the songstress began penning lyrics for Ariana Grande, T.I, Chris Brown, Brandy, Nas, Chloe x Halle and many other big industry names.
She Credits Her Manager For Bringing Her Vision To Life Despite Wanting To Quit Music
Monét initially met her manager, Rachelle Jean-Louis, on the set of “Insecure.” Jean-Louis retold the story of how she was already a fan of the singer-songwriter. She said she wanted to manage her because she believed Monét was not getting the attention she deserved. Although it didn’t work out at their first meet-up, the duo eventually crossed paths again. During Monét’s Grammys acceptance speech, she highlighted how Jean-Louis took a chance by leaving her music label and managing the independent artist after finding Monét’s untouched binder and recognizing her potential.
She First Met Her Album Producer “D’Mile” During Her Girl Group Era
Monét was introduced to “D-Mile” while recording the debut album for Purple Reign. At the time, she and the other group members were staying with the chart-topping producer working with Janet Jackson and Dirty Money. Once Monét decided to put her extensive songwriting portfolio aside and pour into her music career as a solo act, she reached out to D’Mile to produce her EP, “Jaguar.” Their professional relationship developed and led him to produce her debut album “Jaguar II,” in which they both took home Grammys for the project’s hit record “On My Mama.”
She Made “Jaguar II” As An Expansion Of Her Beloved EP
“Jaguar II” followed three years after the similarly titled EP she released in 2020. The love from fans fueled her as she thoughtfully curated the next sounds for her debut album, which dropped in August 2023. Her use of “jaguar” symbolizes how she views herself as someone who has bounced around in the music industry, starting as a songwriter turned producer and now a performing R&B artist. Instead of presenting her latest project with a completely different name, she saw it as an opportunity for “Jaguar II” to continue its predecessor and expand on her solo music career.
She recently became a mom with her partner, John Gaines
Fans first saw the adorable couple together when Gaines appeared as the leading man in Monét’s music video for her song “Moment.” Keeping a low profile, the pair confirmed their relationship in 2020 when they shared on social media that they were expecting a baby. The news of her and Gaines followed the singer’s public acceptance of being a bisexual woman after revealing her sexuality to fans in 2018. In February 2021, the loving parents welcomed their daughter, Hazel, into the world.
She uses fashion to pay homage to the early 2000s music scene
Monét's fashion choices in the music video for "On My Mama" became the Internet's obsession when it premiered in August 2023. The oversized white tees, fitted baseball caps, airbrushed T-shirts and Girbuad jeans were just a few of the many references from the nostalgic Y2K era.
Those fashion details contributed to the visuals becoming a viral sensation for the hit song that has since garnered more than 36 million YouTube views. The early 2000s fashion and music scene influenced the songstress' artistry, prompting her to give credit where it was due.
