This year was Victoria Monét’s year at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in February. Before she became the toast of the evening—taking home three Grammys, including for Best New Artist—she stylishly proved that she can balance it all. A music superstar, a model, a red carpet maven, and a mother to a daughter named Hazel.
Monét admits that she went through a lot of personal and professional growth leading up to her big Grammy moment. Born in Atlanta, but raised in Sacramento, California, she came up through performing arts school with dreams of eventually becoming a dancer because it was a “silent sport,” she told Variety.
A love of poetry led her to songwriting, which led her to making music, which led to her eventually landing a spot in a girl group called Purple Reign, concocted by producer Rodney “Darkchild”Jerkins.
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The girl group didn’t work out, and Monét instead turned her talents to behind the scenes, writing songs for Ariana Grande (“Thank U, Next”), T.I., B.o.B., Kendrick Lamar (“Memories Back Then”), Nas (“You Wouldn’t Understand”), Chloe x Halle (“Do It”), Chris Brown (“Everlasting Love”), and Brandy (“Rather Be”).
“There’s nothing like the first time” having a songwriting credit on a number-one single Monét told Variety. “I’m super thankful because [Ariana] as a friend had done so much to put my name in people’s mouths and make sure she’s crediting everyone that’s writing for her.”
After releasing several songs of her own to critical acclaim—including “Nightmares & Lullabies” parts 1 and 2—Monét knew she would only be able to take her career to the next level if she was able to show up as her full self in her music. In a heartfelt post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she came out as bisexual.
“I want everyone to know that I’m single (since people wanna pretend I’m not) and make imaginary rules for me,” she wrote, adding, “I secretly and respectfully went through a difficult break-up this summer, but enough is enough. I also like girls. Thank U, Next. Bye.”
And just like that, her personal liberation resonated with fans and LGBTQ+ people alike and something in her music career seemed to click.
“The only time I stopped [working] was when they sedated me for the C-section,” Monét told Variety about her challenges to keep her career going and start a family. As for coming out, she shared that she wrestled with the idea because she thought conforming would “make me go further.”
“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,” she said.
But Monét said another bisexual icon who stayed hidden over her long successful career had an effect on her: Whitney Houston
“I’m so sad she wasn’t able to do whatever that she wanted, and the world would [have] been fine,” Monét said about Houston. “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.”
In a duet with Ariana Grande, Monét sings, “I swerve both ways, dichotomy / I like women and men,” and it’s as cool and casual as her coming out statement. Now that she is a Grammy-winning artist, a mother and an out and proud bisexual woman with a growing LGBTQ+ fan base, she couldn’t have written things better for herself.
“I’m a pretty good writer,” she told Variety before the Grammys. “But I can’t write this, ‘cause God is showing out. It’s a real full-circle situation.”
We’re proud of Monét not only for her amazing talent and artistry, but for staying true to herself and being a beautiful role model for other queer people reaching for their dreams.
Re-live Monét’s big grammy moment below.
