In a new interview with Variety, Victoria Monét reveals she nearly quit music, Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion sent her flowers, and she was afraid to come out as bisexual.
In the spread, Monét revealed she has not stopped working, even with giving birth to a child.
“The only time I stopped [working] was when they sedated me for the C-section,” she now recalls, laughing. “Once I got the epidural, I was like…” she lets out a light gasp of relief. “It was a little bit psycho.”
The R&B singer-songwriter had been in labor for two days preparing for the arrival of her first child, Hazel, when doctors ordered an emergency C-section.
As of late, there have not been any days off for the newly independent singer. Over the past 15 years, she’s had a front-row seat for the success of those around her as one of the music industry’s top songwriters, with credits on tracks for Blackpink, Fifth Harmony and many others.
Monét produces and engineers on songs as well. This year, Monét is one of the nominees in the best engineered album (non-classical) category, a rarity for an artist, let alone a female one.
At the time, Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion sent flowers to toast her success. SZA — the only artist with more Grammy nominations than Monét this year — personally showed her love.
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In 2020, the star earned three nominations she earned as a songwriter for Ariana Grande’s album “Thank U, Next” and Chloe x Halle’s single “Do It.”
“At the time I questioned it so much: Like, what is it about me that’s so lackluster? Why aren’t people seeing me?” she says. “It was even to the point where I would sing demos and try to sound really great so rappers would keep me on the hook. I feel like maybe even that is a part of what was so hard. I had something to prove. It wasn’t just handed to me. So it’s all a part of why I think things are coming to fruition now: It’s just time. It’s almost like, ‘Alright girl — you didn’t give up. We’re going to give you something.’”
Monét also reveals that she had long felt hesitant about sharing her sexuality because of the negative impact it could have had on her career.
“I thought that conforming would make me go further,” she says. “Being picturesque, straight… It almost felt like you didn’t want to add any more weights to your ankles trying to win a race. It’s like, you’re already a woman, you’re already Black — you’d better pick a struggle.”
In November 2018, she came out as bisexual in a post on X (formerly Twitter), which enabled her to speak more truth in her music, like on the 2019 Grande duet “Monopoly.”
The singer even goes as far to reference a Whitney Houston documentary that explores how the late singer had to hide her own bisexuality.
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“I’m so sad she wasn’t able to do whatever that she wanted, and the world would [have] been fine,” she says. “Just do and love who you love. And so if I have the ability to talk about it without so much backlash… I know there are special people who hate it. But I feel like since I have the privilege to do so, I should and just be honest. So music has been a playground for sexuality. And some things I don’t even express in words will just come out in music because it’s on my spirit and soul to do so.”
