2024 NAACP Image Awards: The Power of Love: 7 Victoria Monét Romantic and Empowering Tracks
After finding monumental breakthrough success in 2023, Victoria Monét has rightfully earned her spotlight as one of this generation's most promising triple threats. The beloved singer-songwriter released her long-awaited debut album, Jaguar II, last summer, which snagged her the most nominations across the music categories at the “55th NAACP Image Awards” and three big wins at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist. But nothing about Monét’s career says she’s a newbie to the game.
For over a decade, she’s been heralded as one of the most brilliant wordsmiths in pop and R&B, penning hits for big-time acts like Ariana Grande, Chloe x Halle, Fifth Harmony, and more. The secret to her way with words resides in intimacy and endearment, be it a self-empowering anthem, a sultry track about pure infatuation, or a fun tune about appreciating what she brings to the table. Monét’s sharp pen always leads with love, so in honor of that, check out seven of her most romantic and empowering songs.
“Moment”
Released as a standout track off her 2020 Jaguar project, “Moment” is a deeply intimate account of Monét and her partner’s love life, as chronicled in the song’s hot-and-heavy music video starring the singer’s real-life partner and father of her child, John Gaines. For followers of Monét’s career, the single is also a moving proclamation of how the performer went from underdog to superstar and claimed her big moment after years of working behind the scenes.
“On My Mama”
Written during her battle with postpartum depression after giving birth to her daughter Hazel, Monét’s Grammy-nominated earworm is a self-empowerment anthem full of beautiful affirmations, positive declarations, and manifestations. The Billboard-charting single’s music video, released last summer, is an equally loving concept. It pays homage to Black Y2K fashion, Southern Black culture, and its iconic sample, Chalie Boy’s 2009 classic “I Look Good.”
“New Love”
As the title suggests, “New Love” finds Monét affectionately singing about a new special someone. The uptempo track, produced by her longtime collaborator D’Mile, was released from Monét’s 2018 EP, Life After Love, Pt. 2.
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“Ass Like That”
“Ass Like That,” the lead single off of Jaguar, serves as a self-love track about Monét’s personal fitness journey. With confident lyrics like, “Yeah, there's a reason I walk like this, I walk like this / Had to send a video, I don't edit my pics / I work for it, I'm on my shit,” the singer shows just how good it feels to love the body she’s worked hard for.
“How Does It Make You Feel”
A romantic number in every sense of the word, “How Does It Make You Feel?” is a sweet dedication to the purest of loves. The Jaguar II track, also produced by D’Mile, earned Monét some well-deserved praise from legendary singer Anita Baker for being a “melodic masterpiece.”
“More of You”
“More of You” is one of the more exceptional cuts from Monét’s 2015 Nightmares & Lullabies: Act 2 EP, on which the singer weaves together clever, sex-laced metaphors for the sensual offering.
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“I’m the One”
Jaguar II track “I’m the One” emphasizes the importance of knowing one’s self-worth when others can’t see it, driving home lyrics like, “Yeah, I'm the one, I'm the one / You would've already won / If you knew I was the one.” Similarly, the song affirms the recognition and validation Monét sought for her career for years.
