Biography
Victoria Monét is a Grammy-winning R&B singer and songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia, born May 1, 1989[2]. She began her music career after moving to Sacramento as a teenager, where producer Rodney Jerkins discovered her through Myspace and placed her in a short-lived girl group, Purple Reign, that signed to Motown but disbanded before releasing music[2].
She pivoted to songwriting, starting with a track for Diddy Dirty Money's 2010 album, and built a strategy of singing her own demos in hopes labels would keep her on as a featured artist. Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman heard one of those demos in a meeting and offered her a deal that same day, and she signed to the label in 2013[2]. She has said the strategy of writing hooks for other artists before pursuing her own spotlight was inspired by watching Bruno Mars take a similar path earlier in his career[1].
Monét became a frequent collaborator with Ariana Grande, co-writing across Grande's albums from Yours Truly (2013) through Positions (2020), including "Thank U, Next" and "Monopoly," work that brought her three Grammy nominations in 2019, among them Album of the Year[2].
Her 2023 solo album Jaguar II, and its subsequent deluxe edition, marked her commercial and critical breakthrough, producing hit singles including "On My Mama" and "Smoke" and earning her three Grammy Awards at the 2024 ceremony: Best R&B Album, Best New Artist, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical[2].
In 2026, Monét released her sophomore album Frequency of Love, previewed by the singles "Reach Out," "Let Me," and "Juicy"[3]. That summer she opened for Bruno Mars on the European and UK legs of his stadium tour, a full-circle moment given his earlier influence on her career strategy[1]. Monét, who is a mother, has spoken candidly about facing ageist criticism in the industry following her Grammy wins, and about deliberately building what she calls an ecosystem of creative outlets, including attending culinary school (she graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education in May 2026), early-morning workouts, and vocal lessons, to sustain her songwriting[1]. She has described Frequency of Love as her best work yet and a deliberate new chapter distinct from Jaguar II, exploring themes of love and personal freedom[1].
References
- How Victoria Monét found the creative balance to make her best music yet — Interview covering Monét's career strategy, culinary school, ageism after her Grammy wins, and the new album's themes.
- Victoria Monét — Biographical reference: early career, songwriting for Ariana Grande and others, Atlantic Records signing, and Grammy history.
- Victoria Monét Announces Sophomore Album 'Frequency of Love' — Announcement of the Frequency of Love album and its singles.