维多利亚·莫奈

Victoria Monét McCants (born May 1, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. First gaining recognition for her songwriting work, Monét pursued a recording career with the release of a series of extended plays (EPs); her fifth, Jaguar (2020) was met with critical acclaim. Her debut studio album, Jaguar II (2023) became her commercial breakthrough and was supported by the hit single "On My Mama", which peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Record of the Year. The nomination was among seven she received at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, from which she won Best New Artist, Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

She became involved in the performing arts at a young age, and embarked on a musical career in 2010. After performing as part of a short-lived girl group formed by record producer Rodney Jerkins, she took to songwriting and began doing so in tandem with Jerkins and his associate, D'Mile. Monét became a frequent collaborator of singer Ariana Grande, having co-written songs for each of her studio albums from her debut Yours Truly (2013) up to her sixth, Positions (2020). In 2019, Monét received three Grammy Award nominations (including Album of the Year) for her work on Grande's Thank U, Next. That same year, Grande and Monét released the single "Monopoly", which became a top 40 hit on the UK Singles Chart.

Throughout her career, Monét has worked on songs and albums for other high-profile acts including Nas, Travis Scott, Blackpink, Fifth Harmony, T.I., Lupe Fiasco, Chrisette Michele, Brandy, Coco Jones, Chloe x Halle and Chris Brown. Her accolades include two Soul Train Music Awards, three Grammy Awards, and the Rising Star Award from Billboard Women In Music.

Early life

Monét was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 1, 1989, and moved to Sacramento as a teen when her parents relocated for work. In Catholic elementary school, she appeared on stage in holiday plays, and in church she sang in the youth choir. In junior high school, she formed her own dance group; this led to teaching at two dance studios. She attended Sheldon High School in Sacramento after pleading with her mother to change their address so that she could participate in Sheldon's performing arts program.

Career

Outside of dance rehearsals, Monét began exchanging poetry with an older cousin and found a new passion. This soon translated into her writing her own music. A Sacramento-based producer who she had been working with educated her on the production world and learning about producers while making music at a local recording studio together. Through this experience she learned about Rodney Jerkins and added him on Myspace. Shortly afterwards, he invited her to come to Los Angeles and audition for a new girl group he was forming, Purple Reign. The group landed a record deal with Motown a year later, but was dropped before releasing any music. After the group's disbandment, Monét turned to songwriting to earn money while she waited for her own music career to build up. The first song she worked on was a track for Diddy Dirty Money's 2010 album, Last Train to Paris. She continued to write song hooks and sang the demos herself before sending them out. Her hope was that the labels would like her version enough that they would keep her on the track as a feature.

Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman heard one of her demos in a meeting and offered her a record deal later that day. Even though she was signed, Monét acknowledged that her songwriting "took off" before her music, while she was working on both. Her songwriting remained her main form of income during the beginning of her music career.

2014–2018: Nightmares & Lullabies and Life After Love

On October 30, 2014, Monét released her debut EP Nightmares & Lullabies: Act 1 and on June 17, 2015, she released her follow-up EP Nightmares & Lullabies – Act 2 under Atlantic Records. Monét chose the name as it represented the sound of the EPs: a dark beat mixed with soft melodies.

Following the shootings of 2016- Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, as well as the Dallas Police shooting, Monét released "Better Days" with Ariana Grande on July 10, 2016. Monét joined girl group Fifth Harmony on the North American leg of the 7/27 Tour, which began on July 25, 2016, as an opening act along with pop singer JoJo. Grande joined Monét on one of the tour dates to perform "Better Days". On September 22, 2016, Grande announced on Twitter that Monét will serve as an opening act along with British girl group Little Mix on the North American leg of the Dangerous Woman Tour. Monét also supported Grande on the European leg of the tour alongside rapper Bia.