Monica is a multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning artist, singer, actress and entrepreneur whose recordings have sold more than 20 million copies. The young music veteran returned to the scene in 2010 after a four-year hiatus with her album Still Standing, which received Grammy nominations for Best R&B Album and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the hit single “Everything to Me.” Still Standing also received Billboard Music Award nominations for Best R&B Artist and Top R&B Album.
She began her career at age 15 with the hit singles “Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)” and “Before You Walk Out of My Life.” As a result, she became the youngest female artist to have two back-to-back number-one hits on Billboard’s R&B chart from her 1995 debut album, Miss Thang.
Her sophomore album, The Boy Is Mine, brought Monica pop success when she paired with Brandy to record the Rodney Jerkins-produced title single. Spending a record-breaking 13 weeks at number one on the Billboard charts, the duet earned a Grammy Award to add to Monica’s collection of American Music, Soul Train and Billboard Awards. The album produced two more number-one hits, “The First Night” and “Angel of Mine.”
In 2003, Monica’s chart-topping success continued when her third album, After the Storm, debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top 200 albums chart and produced her sixth number-one single, “So Gone.” Her follow-up album, The Makings of Me, entered at number one on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
She became the first artist to have number-one Billboard singles in three consecutive decades, placing her in the company of artists such as Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, James Brown and Marvin Gaye. In 2010, Billboard listed Monica at number 24 on its list of the Top 50 R&B and Hip-Hop Artists of the preceding 25 years.
Monica’s album New Life (RCA) debuted at number two on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart and number four on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart in April 2012. Leading the album was “It All Belongs to Me,” a female anthem that reunited Monica with Brandy 14 years after their Grammy Award-winning duet “The Boy Is Mine.” The exclusive video premiered on VH1 with more than 1.4 million viewers.
Receiving praise from publications including USA Today and Yahoo!, New Life became Monica’s fifth consecutive Top 10 chart debut, further solidifying her extraordinary and enduring career.
This biography and photograph were reproduced from the Jamaica Jazz & Blues Media Press Kit.