Victoria Monét

Victoria Monét McCants is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter. She was involved in the performing arts at a young age, singing in her church choir and performing on a Sacramento dance team. Her artistic influences include Earth, Wind & Fire, Michael Jackson, and the sparkling harmonies of disco. Monét prefers having live musicians in the studio instead of creating music through software and digital means. She devoted herself to writing and composing music and began working professionally with producer Rodney Jerkins.

In 2014, she released her debut EP, Nightmares & Lullabies – Act 1 (2014), followed by Nightmares & Lullabies – Act 2 (2015). She started achieving minor commercial success and continued releasing the EPs Life After Love, Pt. 1 and Life After Love, Pt. 2 in 2018. It was the next when she received her first two Grammy nominations for her work in Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings”. Monét’s critically acclaimed EP, Jaguar (2020), marked a turning point in her solo career, introducing her signature blend of vintage R&B and modern sensuality. Released as the first installment of a three-part project (with plans to later combine into a full album).

Her career reached new heights with the release of her debut studio album, Jaguar II (2023), a full-length continuation of her critically acclaimed 2020 EP. The album became her commercial breakthrough, propelled by the viral hit “On My Mama”, which peaked in the Billboard Hot 100’s top 40 and earned a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year.

At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in 2024, Monét triumphed with seven nominations, winning Best New Artist, Best R&B Album (Jaguar II), and Best Engineered Album — Non-Classical. Earlier in 2023, she released the singles “Smoke” (featuring Lucky Daye) and “Party Girls” (with Buju Banton), followed by the dancehall remix of the latter with Michaël Brun.

Monét’s success was further cemented with accolades like the Billboard Women in Music Rising Star Award and two Soul Train Music Awards. Monét’s 2024 Grammy wins made her one of the most celebrated artists of the year, with Jaguar II praised for its elegant production, lyrical vulnerability, and for being a timely homage to 2000s R&B. Monét has also established herself as one of the most successful songwriters in the music industry in recent years, having written songs for Fifth Harmony, GOOD Music, Ariana Grande, Lupe Fiasco, Janelle Monáe, and various other artists.

At the end of 2018, she publicly declared herself bi on Twitter. In an interview for Allure in November 2021, she also spoke about the difficulties in her career:

I feel that, as black and bisexual women in the music industry, [we are] underrepresented. Instead of trying to fit in, [I’m] going the other way.

Victoria Monét’s ascent, from appearing on holiday plays at church and singing in choirs to Grammy-winning artistry, epitomizes perseverance and authentic self-expression. In just a decade, she evolved from a sought-after songwriter to R&B’s defining new voice, with her 2024 Grammy triumphs cementing her status as a multifaceted, creative, and unstoppable force.