By Callie J. Lawson-Freeman | Special to The OBSERVER
Victoria Monét was always willing to fight for her dream, even when it required some patience. Before she became a three-time Grammy nominated songwriter, she had to convince her mom to let her out of playing golf.
She was once a poetry-crazed freshman, formulating argument after argument about why she should participate in the performing arts program at Sheldon High School, instead of sports. But by the time she successfully made her case, auditions for dance class at her school were closed. When her sophomore year finally came, Monét made the cut and “became deeply obsessed” with hip hop and performing.
Nearly 17 years later, she is two months removed from the release of her debut album, Jaguar II. The project and its three singles, “Smoke,” “Party Girls” and “On My Mama,” helped her to the highest positions of her career on multiple charts.
It’s all coming together as Monét establishes herself as an R&B it girl — the realization of an enduring belief in the vision she had for herself before anyone else could see it.
Amid her continued success, there’s not much downtime. Monét is almost halfway through her first headlining tour, which continues to bolster intrigue as she gives every show the flair of a seasoned global entertainer. As she spoke to The OBSERVER from her tour bus during a 13-hour travel day from Denver, she provided a candid rundown of her usual schedule.
Before hopping in front of a crowd in the evenings, she does vocal lessons, sound check, glam, meet and greets, radio and anything else imaginable. And she’s doing it all while raising her two-year-old daughter, Hazel, who was born in February of 2021.
When Monét returns to her hometown on Oct. 9 to take the stage at Ace of Spades, reminders of her roots and the impact of motherhood will bring her back to when it all began.
Even during a normal show, Monét can’t perform “On My Mama” without thinking of Sacramento and her mother, L’Tanya Chestang. The hit single samples Chalie Boy’s 2009 hit “I Look Good.” It was the first song Monét wrote after welcoming her daughter. The hook, “I put that on my mama, on my hood, I look fly, I look good,” resonated with her as a mantra while she struggled with postpartum depression.
Once it was time to shoot the music video, her first thought was to film it in her hometown. Since it would’ve been expensive to fly everyone out to Northern California, she ended up shooting in Los Angeles where her crew is largely based. Chestang and Hazel made an appearance in the video and will be at her Sacramento tour stop as well, per her request.
“It just feels very full circle,” Monét said.
She was born in Atlanta and moved to Sacramento when she was just three years old. She believes her whole family decided to migrate from the south because her great grandfather was in the military and got stationed in California. Her great grandmother was a writer who gave speeches in Mobile, Alabama and owned a funeral home, Monét said.
Growing up, Monét’s mom exposed her to a vast array of music at home and during travels to New Orleans and Alabama. The things she didn’t hear that way, she heard on the dance scene or in the city.
“Sacramento is such a diverse place,” Monét said, noting different “odes to home” in her work over the years. One of her examples came from the music video for “Friend U Can Keep,” which reminds her of Old Sacramento and downtown’s western aesthetic. Meanwhile, the “On My Mama,” video is filled with references to Southern Black culture and took social media by storm when it was released in August.
Monét left the state’s capital for Los Angeles in pursuit of her musical goals at 20 years old. She has only visited Sacramento for holidays and work since. She remembers the year she left Northern California easily. It was 2009 — seven months before her maternal grandmother, Cassaundria Lovett, died.
“That’s why I feel like I have had an angel my whole L.A. experience,” Monét said.
Shortly after she made it to Los Angeles, Monét signed a deal with Motown records to join a girl group in 2010 that was dropped before releasing any music. She viewed being part of the label of the 60’s as something that would make her late grandma proud, but it didn’t take her long to carve her own lane in the industry by using her pen for other artists.
Her long creative relationship with pop star Ariana Grande is widely known, but her writing credits extend well beyond it. Monét’s resume features work for artists including Brandy, Chris Brown, Jhene Aiko, Chrisette Michelle and more.
After years of making an impact in the industry behind the scenes, her August release is a confident entrance into the spotlight.
The project follows the Jaguar EP she released in July 2020. Like much of Monét’s music, all 11 tracks from her latest release take a surreal voyage beyond her native genre into disco, pop and reggae. The album features Lucky Daye, Buju Banton and Kaytranada.
Hazel also appears on “Hollywood,” making her musical debut with Earth, Wind and Fire. The collaboration of raising her with the “extreme help” of her partner, John Gaines, and Chestang is one Monét takes quite seriously. While the family will bring Hazel to Sacramento for the third time in her life to watch Monét, they’ve built their own traditions in Los Angeles. Monét’s mom is based in Elk Grove but visits frequently.
“She’s at an age where she wants to do everything that we’re doing,” Monét said of her daughter, who currently attends a Montessori-style charter school. Hazel can already use a pen well and paint ceramics, according to her mom. She has also been heard holding a pleasant tune during soundcheck with her mom via social media.
If Hazel’s creative inclinations remain, Monét is ready to write her daughter any song she might want to sing. But no matter what path Hazel chooses, she’ll have her mom’s support.
Monét also offered encouragement to anyone that’s chasing a goal. When she dreams at night, she wakes up, writes them down, and often sees them come true.
“Let God and the universe know that it’s something that you want and that you’re willing to work for it,” Monét said. “Then you just have to wait for it to flow to you. Not being stagnant while you’re waiting, obviously, you want to work towards it. But you just have to be open and ready when it comes.”