Victoria Monét is a multi-talented American singer-songwriter. Getting her start by joining a performing arts program, she would soon begin writing poetry and singing in her room. In addition, Monét is well-known for her talent as a dancer. While Monét’s solo career has blossomed over the past 5 years, she’s also become a household name as a songwriter. Supporting artists such as Ariana Grande, Lupe Fiasco, and Chris Brown, she wrote songs such as “7 Rings” and “Drunk Texting.”
The 33 year old has recently been making waves as a solo artist in the R&B scene. Her most recent album ‘JAGUAR’ has garnered over 200 million streams on Spotify alone. A 25 minute collection of funk-tinged R&B, the record received critical acclaim from the Billboard charts and publications such as Pitchfork. Finally embracing the spotlight rather than working in the shadows, it remains one of the better R&B records to come out in the 2020s.
The mother of a 2 year old daughter, Monét has spent the past two years balancing her family life with the creation of her next full-length project. In a recent interview with Billboard, Monét teased the beginning of her rollout for her next project, stating “Jaguar part two is coming.” In addition, it sounds like she’ll be releasing her headlining single for the project sometime in March. Blending groovy instrumentation with scintillating vocals, the Sacramento-based artist really earned her flowers over the past few years.
Before her follow-up album to ‘Jaguar’ releases, we’ll be taking a look at some of her best songs to date. Let us know what your thoughts are on the list in the comments!
Coastin’
Victoria Monét’s most recent single, “Coastin’” is a feel-good groove all the way through. Sampling the drum pattern and bassline from Tamia’s “So Into You,” Monét’s smooth vocals seamlessly cut through the production. Her 80s soul influences are apparent as ever. The music video perfectly reflects this mood, as she drives around on a warm California day.
Monét has a unique ability to walk a fine-line between disco and R&B, blending the two genres into a pacing that fits her. “Coastin’” is a hallmark example of this. An ode to a man she’s in love with, the track is an uncompromising love letter to the sunshine of California. Monét stated, “we wanted this song to represent the freedom to finally go outside (post-pandemic). It feels so good to be able to finally Coast freely.”
Moment
The track to land Monét her first late-night performance, “Moment” is the track that really put her on the map as a solo-artist. The lead track off of ‘JAGUAR,” Monét repeats “Aye, this your motherf**kin moment” to her lover. This can also be interpreted as a phrase she’s repeating to herself, as she attempts to embrace the spotlight.
A slow-moving R&B cut, sensual drums and flow switchups cover the track from start to finish. Monét displays a quirky ability to seamlessly rotate from allegro to lento tempos. High-rising violins gradually become more and more prevalent on the track, as Monét pleads for her lover to embrace the moment. It’s a fitting intro to the record.
Experience
Featuring production chops from dance/electronic artist SG Lewis, the UK-based producer curates yet another groovy collaboration on “Experience.” Also working with the likes of Clairo and Remi Wolf, he has a uncanny ability to encouraged artists to adapt to his sound. Victoria Monét does so beautifully, whose voice swirls around snappy drums and delicate synths.
The most streamed track off of ‘JAGUAR,’ it recently surpassed the 50-million mark on Spotify. This is in large-part due to Khalid’s appearance on the track, who’s actually outshined by Monét. However, his sensual vocals fit the mood of the song. A celebratory track, Monét waives goodbye to a past tumultuous relationship. The title of the track itself is self-explanatory; Monét takes the licks of the relationship on the chin, and moves on towards something more positive.
All You Need
Victoria Monét’s “Life After Love, Pt. 2” EP gives the impression of an artist who’s still trying to find her sound. Tracks dart from Japanese pop influences to Caribbean-influenced sonic tropes. The standout track is undeniably “All You Need,” featuring booming drums and colorful background vocals.
Monét repeats “All You Need” on the chorus, demonstrating her infatuation with her lover. While more grounded in soul, it’s still very much distinctive from her later work. Stating “Maybe I’ll be the one that you meet heaven with,” it’s a relatively straightforward love song shows off her vocal prowess. In addition, it’s interesting to listen to her older sound given the context of her most recent releases.
We Might Even Be Falling In Love
There’s a reason why four of the five tracks off of this list appear on her most recent album, ‘JAGUAR.’ Signifying a more focused sound that best complimented her vocal personality, “We Might Even Be Falling In Love” is another love ballad in a record full of them. Running at a fleeting 51 seconds, it’s a frustratingly short song. However, it’s a tight-knit interlude that’s straight to the point.
After the first quarter of the record sees both Victoria Monét and her lover express resonations about fully committing to each other, “We Might Even Be Falling In Love” sees her open up fully. Amidst subtle horns and a groovy bassline, she states “U-Haul, ’cause I might let you move in it.” She recently released an extended version of the track with R&B icon Bryson Tiller.