From Coastin’ to Alright, Victoria Monét has delivered several R&B hits over the years. Her song On My Mama became her breakthrough track, earning her praise and the prestigious Grammy Award. But her journey behind the milestone was anything but a cakewalk, and the singer recently addressed the dark side of her major win.
Victoria Monét opens up about the challenges behind her Grammy win
On Angie Martinez‘s In Real Life podcast, Victoria Monét weighed in on her Grammy win. For the record, the singer has won three Grammys, all in 2024, for her album JAGUAR II (2024). She won Best New Artist, Best R&B Album, and Best Engineered Non-Classical Album. Speaking about her struggle, the singer pointed out the industry’s biases and expectations.
“Last year, I had a really tough transition with my team, management, and my agent, and then I also felt unprepared for the next chapter,” Monét said. “I felt a lot of pressure musically because I didn’t feel like I had the right body of work to give to people, but they wanted it now. The label was like, ‘There’s a lull in time, and you’re losing momentum. You’re getting older.'”
It’s not uncommon for artists to experience ageism, whether in the acting or music industry. Time and time again, singers, songwriters, and even actors have spoken openly about this issue. According to reports, music labels have often told singers and songwriters that they were too old to start or even restart their careers in the latter phase, but they braved through it.
Monét started her musical career in the 2010s, but it gained momentum in 2024 when her album JAGUAR II won three Grammys at the 66th edition of the ceremony. However, the newfound appreciation from people, especially after past backlash, did affect her mentally. It served as a wake-up call as she reflected on the negative thoughts while addressing the issue on the podcast.
“All of these really negative thoughts that don’t belong to me were coming, and I just felt really down. And after the Grammy win, the way people celebrate you as an underdog, and then the moment you win, switch, is really alarming,” she explained. Meanwhile, Victoria Monét is gearing up for her The Romantic Tour in June, which will also feature Bruno Mars. It will be held in France and Germany.
