At just 21 years old, Harlem-born R&B artist Journey Montana is making waves with Lucky Girl Syndrome. This debut album seamlessly blends soulful melodies with themes of self-discovery and empowerment. No stranger to the spotlight, Montana has already showcased her talents through projects like In & Out and Stargirl and a recurring role on the CW sports drama “All American.” With Lucky Girl Syndrome, she aims to do more than entertain—she invites listeners to elevate their perspective and connect with their best selves, drawing inspiration from trailblazing women in music who once inspired her journey.

“I would like listeners to leave with a little bit more confidence and a better perspective on themselves,” Montana tells BET.com. “When I was a little girl, I saw Beyoncé and I saw Rihanna and all of these women doing what I wanted to do and singing, performing, making music and being creative. It showed me, genuinely, that I could do it, too.”

“I'm just realizing with this era and this album the power of my words and the power of my pen and the power that I have through my music,” Montana declares. “If I can manifest good things for myself and for my listeners, why not? Even if it's not talking directly about myself, I think it still has that air of positivity and speaking life into the world.”

With a ten-song tracklist, Lucky Girl Syndrome makes Montana sound more self-assured than before. Reintroducing herself on the old-school and doo-wop feeling of “Wait,” Montana smoothly coasts into a recap of her upbringing on the acoustics of “Journey” and easily manifests on the titular ballad. Although she’s in her early 20s, Lucky Girl Syndrome places Montana deeper into confidence and maturity.

Growing up in Harlem, she credits the New York borough for allowing her to harness creativity and expression, which would guide her as an artist. “There was this air and this freedom that I grew up around, and I think it impacted how I move and how I view myself. I think it ingrained a self-love in me that I feel like if I lived somewhere else, I may not have had [it],” Montana says.

Expanding on her creativity, the Lucky Girl Syndrome cover art gives Montana a sense of mystery with a rich, smoky cat eye, glossy lips, and perfectly groomed blonde eyebrows that reflect the album’s directness.

“I incorporated a lot of my favorite things and tried to make it as authentic to me as possible,” Montana shares. “I feel like I can be a little eerie, I can be a little dark, I can be a little creepy, but I do also love glamour and beauty.”

Outside the studio, Montana turns to wellness practices, including journaling, to stay grounded, a skill that Montana adopted in childhood, joking that it began as “gibberish,” likening it to the book series Dork Diaries and Junie B. Jones.

“I just started realizing that it was just a really good tool for me because I do talk a lot and I have a lot of emotions and, at times, I can overshare,” Montana admits. “So, I think journaling has been a really useful tool, especially in my adulthood, with just getting things out in a healthy way and not in a way that I'll cringe at later.”

While Montana looks back on girlhood in conversation, on piano-looped Lucky Girl Syndrome track standout “Vertigo,” the singer affirms herself with a clear path into womanhood, bravely casting aside any pressure she faces.

“It gets a little overwhelming [but] I just bring myself back and I actually say those affirmations to myself,” Montana says. “It brings me back to believing in myself and remembering who I am and trusting the process and trusting that everything is working out for me. Even if I don't know everything and just trust the things that I can't control.”

While Montana is primed to be a main act on stage, the artist has gotten a crash course on tour life, supporting acts like Capella Grey and Eli Derby. The singer has come face-to-face with her real-life supporters but has also encountered unpredictable situations, one being on an Ann Marie tour that taught her how to improvise. 

“It just taught me to be ready for anything,” Montana says about touring. “I remember there was one time when we had a show in Denver and someone passed out in the crowd. Nobody tells you what to do in that situation. I just had to kind of be ready and be quick because I will glitch.”

She continues, “You're in different cities. It's a lot going on. These are like high energy events and it’s not calm, it's not easy going. [There was] a lot of growing up that I did on tour. I had to learn a lot very quickly.”

But with a calm head and a handy on-the-road kit of crystals and teas, Montana already exudes the warmth that makes her a rising star. On Lucky Girl Syndrome, she knows her power and steps into it for all to take notice.

“That's a really big part of my purpose and even with this project, speaking life over myself and making these choices to speak life into myself, even if I don't feel like that and I don't believe it all the time,” Montana confesses. “[I’m] still making those choices every day to take steps towards that. That’s how I choose to move.”

With Lucky Girl Syndrome, Montana finds her voice and uses it to empower herself and her listeners, proving that she’s more than ready to take center stage.