Black History Month Salute: Victoria Monét

For Black History Month, a salute to Victoria Monét — singer, songwriter, and one of the most complete talents in R&B right now. She's open about being bisexual, which still counts for something in an industry where that openness stays rare, and her catalog speaks for itself.

Born in Georgia and raised in Sacramento, California, she found her voice in the youth choir at church and sharpened it at a local performing arts high school. She entered the industry as a songwriter and built her name writing for Ariana Grande, Fifth Harmony, Nas, T.I., and plenty of others.

The pen got results. Monét co-wrote two number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 for Ariana Grande — “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings” — and the two released a duet of their own, “Monopoly,” which debuted on the charts. Writers this good usually stay behind the scenes. She didn't.

Her solo run bears that out. In 2016 came the singles "Do You Like It" and "Ready," later part of "Life After Love Pt. 2." In 2018 she released "Life After Love, Pt. 1," with the single "Freak." Those projects set up her 2020 debut project "Jaguar," which carried "Ass Like That" and "Moment" — records that sound like her and nobody else.

In 2021 she kept the run going with "F.U.C.K." and "Coastin'," and performed at the 22nd BET Awards pre-show. Her more recent singles — "Smoke," "Party Girls," "On My Mama" — keep stretching what her mix of R&B, hip hop, and pop can hold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdJ-Qwu3y4Y

Then the Grammys caught up. After multiple nominations, Monét won Best New Artist and Best R&B Album for "Jaguar II" at the 66th Grammy Awards. "New artist" is a strange label for someone who spent a decade writing hits, but the trophies are hers, and she earned every one.

Her approach to the career is plain: take the moment in front of you and learn from every experience. That mindset shapes her music and how she moves as an artist, a mother, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. In her songs and in public, she keeps coming back to self-care and mental health — and plenty of listeners have needed to hear it.

So that's the salute: a Black bisexual woman who wrote hits for other people until the industry had no choice but to hand her the microphone. Her wins make room for the artists coming behind her. That's Black history, happening now.​