We’re over the moon for Victoria Monét right now! The singer/songwrite has a whopping seven Grammy nominations and Variety magazine just revealed her stunning cover story.
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We’ve been fans of Monét for over a decade now, thanks to her songwriting and collabs with artists including Ariana Grande, Chloé & Halle, B.O.B and more. In the new issue of Variety she talks about almost giving up during her 15-year climb to the top.
“At the time I questioned it so much: Like, what is it about me that’s so lackluster? Why aren’t people seeing me?” she says. “It was even to the point where I would sing demos and try to sound really great so rappers would keep me on the hook. I feel like maybe even that is a part of what was so hard. I had something to prove. It wasn’t just handed to me. So it’s all a part of why I think things are coming to fruition now: It’s just time. It’s almost like, ‘Alright girl — you didn’t give up. We’re going to give you something.’ ”
Victoria Monét also opens up about coming out as bisexual, and how fear of not being accepted held her back from doing so for some time:
“I thought that conforming would make me go further,” she says. “Being picturesque, straight… It almost felt like you didn’t want to add any more weights to your ankles trying to win a race. It’s like, you’re already a woman, you’re already Black — you’d better pick a struggle.”
While we’re currently celebrating Monét’s wins with her own music, the singer also reflected on her previous success as a collaborator who consistently worked with Ariana Grande on every album since her 2013 debut, Yours Truly. She put her pen to work on 2019’s “Thank U, Next,” and “7 Rings” which became Grande’s first two #1 Hot 100 singles, and Monét began to gain more notoriety as Grande’s backup singer during live TV performances and on her tour. But Monét was transparent about how her success with Grande sometimes overshadowed her own music:
“There’s nothing like the first time” of a songwriting credit on a number-one single, says Monét. “I’m super thankful because [Ariana] as a friend had done so much to put my name in people’s mouths and make sure she’s crediting everyone that’s writing for her. But in interviews, I just want to talk about my artistry and they’re like, ‘What’s Ariana’s favorite color?’” She lets out a laugh. “I’m like, uh, you should ask her.”
Check out the full article on Variety.
Hit the flip for photos from Victoria Monét’s CÎROC Limonata sponsored Grammy nomination party Tuesday night.