The Triumphant Transformation of Victoria Monét

Victoria Monét's music used to drip. Her voice moved in rich, honeyed ripples that swam through sultry backbeats and orchestral symphonies. Her new music, however, soars. This is quite fitting for the former jaguar, who tells me she's traded her claws for butterfly wings.

The sugar-dipped voice that I've heard crooning "On My Mama" one million times on the radio and at sparkling New York City parties greets me during a short hour of downtime in early May. I'm hesitant to even call it that, seeing as it's the only time she could spare on a packed rehearsal day. We'd already pushed things back to accommodate her dancers' schedules, as they were approximately 40 days out from The Romantic Tour with Bruno Mars, which Monét joins this month in Saint-Denis, France. You see, the singer-songwriter (and recent culinary school graduate!) has been in constant motion ever since clinching three awards at the 2024 Grammys, including Best New Artist, but if you've been wondering where she's been in the two years that have passed since, she doesn't blame you.

Newcomers to Monét's musical universe, strap in. The star has been putting down roots in the industry for more than 15 years, spending the majority of this time as a hit songwriter for and frequent collaborator of stars such as Ariana Grande, Chlöe x Halle, and Fifth Harmony before dedicating herself to a solo career. Six studio albums, 26 singles, and 36 award nominations later, we meet Monét in a stage of metamorphosis, shedding the weight of expectations, accolades, and timelines as she etches a new chapter into her story.

I met the multi-hyphenate just a few days after her 37th birthday, which Monét used as a benchmark for a new and spotlessly cleaned chapter. She celebrated the occasion on her socials too, scrubbing every photo that predated May 1 (Taurus hive, rise) from her Instagram profile—yes, even photographic proof of her career-defining awards. It sends a subtle yet powerful message that no one needs to see her résumé to measure her worth. They simply need to see her now.

I ask her about the sudden switch-up in social presence. It usually means one of two things: a new record or a horrendous breakup. Luckily for Monét's avid music fans, it's the former—an album. She tells me it is "the longest she's ever done," with a release date and name so ironclad that even I couldn't get her to budge. Fans did, however, get a taste of what's next with her buttery single "Let Me," which became the top-added song on R&B radio in its debut week.

"I wanted to start over, using my birthday as a launching pad," she explains in her irresistibly soft voice. Monét's goal is for listeners to understand the world of her upcoming album before ever stepping inside, one that's steeped in monochrome nostalgia—inspired by childhood memories of dancing in front of her grandmother's analog television set in Mobile, Alabama—and reflective of her new outlook on life. Three Grammys later, the world views you differently, and she quickly learned that it's not always for the best.

While the singer-songwriter took these coveted awards as confirmation that she is, in fact, on the right path ("It's a peer-voted award," she points out), Monét was disillusioned by the aftermath of that career-altering evening. "Once you have an accolade like that, people often look for a reason to discredit why you got it," she nearly whispers, forlornness staining her pillowy voice. It's the age-old tale of support from those around you until your achievements highlight their own insecurities. "Once you get there, there's another group of people that question the validity of your deservingness," she continues. Monét found that it is indeed lonely at the top.

Regardless of the online chatter, the award came with an immense sense of personal pride and media attention, so it didn't take long for plenty of doors to swing open to new opportunities for the performer. Rarely, however, did they reveal a recording studio. "After the Grammys, I was so busy that I wasn't in the studio that much, which I don't like," states Monét. Her life quickly became a flurry of rehearsals as she ran the music-festival gambit and devoted every other minute to press engagements, interviews, and event appearances. "I just had waited for those types of opportunities for so long that my team was saying yes to everything," she explains. The artist doesn't blame anyone; it was a learning lesson all around. But ultimately, this period dragged her into the undertow of marketing and away from what earned those awards in the first place.

"It's one reason why this album has taken longer," she explains. "I think—pending [a Grammy] happens again—I would do the opposite and bunker down in the studio," she theorizes, looking toward life after what I'll call Victoria Monét 7 for now. She calls the now-necessary content side of her career nonstop and admittedly foreign to what she once imagined the music industry would look like. "But I'm down because I want to make sure the music goes as far as it can," she tells me. The grit required for years of work to finally become the people's favorite new artist is momentarily evident in her tone. Her upcoming album, which I'm told is arriving later this year, is one she's dubbed her very own Thriller—referencing Michael Jackson's genre-defying sixth studio album. I've coincidentally just returned from devouring every frame of the film Michael, starring the eponymous star's very own nephew, Jafaar Jackson, over a giant bowl of movie theater popcorn, so naturally, I press her for more details.

"When he was making Thriller, he wanted to expand beyond what people would think of him doing," she goes on. The artist cites Jackson's genre-bending next moves—dabbling with yacht rock and other contrasting themes to push past the confines of R&B—as part of the driving force behind her new project. "The album really doesn't have that much of a box, so it will have some moments that are more surprising sonically but also some that feel like a natural progression from Jaguar to now," she adds.

Such is evident in the seven tracks I streamed from a password-locked vault: sprinkled with vintage guitar and violin strings, peppered with synth, and glazed in sweetly seductive vocals. A nostalgic, orchestral opening track reminds me of grainy VHS tapes and dancing Disney princesses—a nod to her Southern grandma's family room, the birthplace of so many of Monét's earliest musical references. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Sound of Music, and Mary Poppins were repeat hits in her grandparents' home, which eventually played a role in the performer's evolving music and style identity. The world will soon see the nostalgic influence of Dorothy Dandridge glamour shots, Singing in the Rain costuming, and the choral performances of Mr. Holland's Opus shaping Monét's new chapter.

"The jaguar exists within me always, but I'm feeling like a softer version of myself [now]," she explains. "The claws are retracted, and [it's] not growling. I'm more peaceful. I keep thinking about the caterpillar … and the transformation, the complete release of itself that has to occur for it to become a butterfly."

The synergy that Monét feels with Jackson and her other childhood references wasn't just the catalyst (or shall I say chrysalis?) for her new work. It was a wake-up call. The artist realized that she was on the precipice of something great but ultimately needed to do some shedding to move forward and continue to grow as both an artist and a person. "That's what this year is about: growing spiritually," she explains. "It's about being a better person while I'm here … [and] making sure that I have the longevity and mental capacity to handle the stresses that come with whatever my next chapter is bringing. I'm asking for more, so [I'm] making sure I'm equipped to handle more."

Spiritual and personal growth have been a theme throughout the songwriting process and slowly seeped into the project itself. "[This album] feels a lot more clearheaded, more pure," she explains. This clarity allowed her to show love to herself, offer it to others ("even people who don't even really deserve it," she muses), and thread it into every pulse of the music. I mean that literally. She's infused healing frequencies into some melodies for alignment. You can think of these upcoming tracks as your modern-day "Ring My Bell," the 1979 hit from Anita Ward that went viral on TikTok for its 432-hertz pitch—thought by many to be a fast track for abundance manifestation. Monét herself is a believer, having once danced under an eclipse moon while looping Ward's chart-topper in her bedroom.

If being a singer-songwriter, Grammy winner, and mother (yes, Monét has a doting 5-year-old daughter) weren't enough notches on the multi-hyphenate’s belt, she's decided to add another—this time in a completely different industry. After graduating at the top of her class this spring from the Institute of Culinary Education in Pasadena, California, she can officially call herself Chef Monét. A few of her newest acts of service include hosting generous brunches and dinner parties for her friends that include fried chicken and caramelized waffles, French omelets and chives, and date cake with bourbon ice cream.

"It's something that I wanted to do forever," she responds when I ask her what sparked this new venture. "I had such a crazy year last year emotionally that I was starting to look into it, and I would put my foot in and then be one step out." Eventually, the star set her mind to it. "I said, 'Fuck it!'" she exclaims with a laugh. "I went on the school tour, started talking to them about what it would require, including the externship that I have to do to get my actual diploma. Then a couple of days after that, Teyana Taylor posted that she was in culinary school, and I was like, 'Wait, what? You too? I'm going too!'" It's like freshman year all over again.

Though I lack the cooking prowess that Monét now wields, I've experienced the "mind wandering" phenomenon, as detailed in a paper by assistant psychology professor Zachary Irving at the University of Virginia, while chopping vegetables. Essentially, they're those brilliant, crystal-clear ideas that seem to fall out of the sky once your brain quiets down during a repetitive task. Seeing as I've gotten some of my best introductory lines and styling ideas when dicing up cucumbers, I ask if culinary school ever aided the songwriting process of her upcoming album or even unstuck a bout of writer's block. Unsurprisingly, she says yes.

"I actually came up with one of the songs on my album while making cookies," she says with a grin. The act itself became meditative: listening to music while cooking and humming while nursing a pan over open flames. "It all goes together, food and music," she states. But when it comes to songwriting in general, Monét has found that the process is entirely attached to ego.

"Opposite of writer's block to me is an ego death: just going in and getting all the 'bad' things out—the bad melodies, the bad songs, bad lyrics—and not judging yourself for it," she muses. Whether that's in the kitchen or in the studio, Monét has learned to trust in her abilities, and that includes the initial shed that each songwriting session requires. "Eventually, you'll work your way into the songs you start to feel good about, but you have to do it without ego," she adds.

At this point in her career—one marked by graduation caps, Grammys, and a growing daughter—you'll see Instagram comments like "Queen of side quests!" all over the star's social media posts. While it's true that Monét refuses to let herself become stagnant (she has future goals that include massage therapy, gardening, and learning ancient Chinese medicine), one thing that will forever remain firmly rooted in place is family. Hazel, the star's kindergarten-age daughter, has accolades of her own despite her small stature, for the energetic, button-nosed kid made history as the youngest Grammy nominee at age 2 when her mother's song "Hollywood" was nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance in 2024.

Though Monét’s mini-me achieved a goal before pre-K that most musicians won't in their lifetimes, the star is leaving her daughter's future in her own little hands. "Just yesterday, I was looking at this paper she brought home from school that said when she grew up, she wanted to be a dentist, which was my first time hearing that one," Monét says with silvery laughter. "But she also wanted to be a hairstylist, a singer, a scientist. She's taking jiujitsu. She's in piano. She loves dance—she's at my rehearsal right now. As soon as she gets here, she's in the mirror, posing, dancing, choreographing, and telling people what to do." She gets it from her mama, no?

Monét's relationships have long been the source of much chatter, but at this stage in her life, the artist is approaching romance opportunistically. "It's really hard," she says in response to my question about dating as a successful woman. "It's hard, one, to attract anyone who is going to understand this lifestyle [and], two, to maintain it. So I've just been focused on my daughter and me and what I have ahead because when I'm in a relationship, I'm prioritizing the other person as well." It should be that way, she says, but with an upcoming tour, a busy kid, and a forthcoming album, there are only so many hours in the day. However, she won't say no to a fun date.

In all, it's Monét's main wish for her daughter to have a primary example of accomplishing dreams, hobbies, side quests, and more as a mother. "I'm just trying to show [Hazel] that she really can do it, even when it's hard or you don't get the right amount of sleep or you don't feel great about your work or whatever it is," she explains, her voice breaking ever so slightly. "I'm just pushing through and letting her see by actions, not just by words."

Though artists, especially women, are taught to measure their talents by their accolades, Monét has taken care to reshape her relationship with success into something much healthier way before this next chapter unfolds—making sure she doesn't "live and die" by awards. "I would love to experience another Grammy and that feeling of being a musician's musician, but I also want to make sure that if that doesn't happen, that I don't feel any less powerful or less supported or less successful," she explains. "[I'm] just learning a new way to detach from certain things and grow, but ultimately with love."

Photographer: Erica Snyder
Stylist: Dione Davis
Hairstylist: Davontae Washington
Makeup Artist: Diana Shin
Manicurist: Coca Michelle
Creative Director: Amy Armani
Set Designer: Lucy Holt
Entertainment Director: Jessica Baker
Producer: Erin Corbett