Victoria Monet’s first experience in the music industry was via producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. The famed mogul signed Monet to Motown Records after he heard Monet’s music on her MySpace page in 2008. Jerkins quickly invited Monet to audition for, and join, a girl group he was forming at the time, called Purple Reign. After Purple Reign’s album remained stagnant, and the label dropped the group, Monet cut ties with Jerkins and began to focus on songwriting, where she soon excelled.
Monet’s songwriting abilities afforded more gateways into the music industry, when in 2013, she was introduced to Ariana Grande and began writing for her-- the two have formed a strong friendship ever since. Around the same time she was signed as an artist to Atlantic Records-- albeit the focus was more so on her behind-the-scenes career at this point.
Nonetheless, during her time with Atlantic Records, she dropped her first two projects. Nightmares & Lullabies: Act 1 (October, 2014) and Nightmares & Lullabies: Act 2 (June, 2015). While continuing to hone her craft through her own releases, she wrote many other artists’ hits which include “Memories Back Then” by T.I., “You Wouldn’t Understand” by Nas, and “Sin City” off GOOD Music’s Cruel Summer album.
Throughout her team-up with Grande, Victoria Monet co-wrote Grande’s hits, “Thank u, Next,” “7 Rings,” and “34+35.” Monet released a couple more projects before her breakthrough with Jaguar in August, 2020. The E.P. consists of the tracks “Ass Like That” and “Experience.” Monet’s sound on this album, which was praised critically, draws heavily from the music of the 70’s and the 90’s, R&B, funk, and disco.
