NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Victoria Monét won’t take it personally if you call her upcoming album a comeback, even though it’s only a three-year hiatus.
“It should be normal to take your time to create your next album. I know we live in a world where we want everything to happen fast,” the three-time Grammy winner said in an interview with The Associated Press. He said that to be inspired, one should let life take its course.
“I’m okay with people wanting more music or feeling like, ‘Dang, I missed that.’ Or it’s a comeback, because it makes me feel like there’s a gap in time, they realize I’m gone,” the artist said.
The “On My Mama” singer returns Friday with “Frequency of Love,” a 22-track studio project that follows 2023’s Grammy-winning “Jaguar II.”
The new album is powered by singles such as the house-style “Reach Out”, yacht R&the B-inspired “Juicy” and “Let Me,” a slow jam that has already reached No. 1 on Billboard’s adult R chart.&B publication table. Some of the new work includes heavyweights Bruno Mars and SZA, as well as R&B hitmakers Bryson Tiller, Leon Thomas and Chlöe Bailey.
“I’m really, really, really passionate about love. … A lot of it was a reflection of what I experienced or felt during dating,” said Monét, who initially considered creating a yacht-R.&B album. “The album covers a lot of bases, including my love for my daughter, my love for the world, and the things I want to see in that.”
Executive produced by Camper, “Frequency of Love” takes listeners on a sonic journey beyond romance with various additions of classic R music from the 90s.&B songs are artfully sprinkled throughout.
Featuring a nod to Brandy’s song “Almost Doesn’t Count,” “Almost” is a sensual take on sexual dissatisfaction, while “For You” reimagines Kenny Lattimore’s classic romantic ballad. “Care for Somebody (Interlude)” interprets a song Monét encountered as a child while watching Halle Berry in the movie “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge” with her grandmother.
Michael Jackson’s musical evolution between “Off the Wall” and “Thriller” inspired Monét’s creative process. While he quickly stopped any comparisons with the commercial and critical acclaim of one of music’s most prolific artists, he aimed to channel the same risk-taking artistry.
“I didn’t make ‘Thriller,'” Monét said. “With that mindset, I made my own version of what I was going to do.”
The 37-year-old singer is all too aware of the rising expectations. But she was a little unprepared for some of the negativity that followed her win for best new artist and top R at the 2024 Grammys.&B album and best non-classical engineered album.
“I think there was a shift from me being an underdog that everyone wanted to support,” he said. “If I have millions of supporters, I may have millions of haters. But who am I paying attention to? And for me, that’s what the album is about.”
Monét, who recently appeared as a special guest on the European leg of Bruno Mars’ “Romantic” tour, is preparing for her own “Frequency of Love” dates by visiting 27 North American cities starting at the end of October.
Monét, who started her career writing songs for Ariana Grande, Blackpink, Chloe x Halle and Selena Gomez, is still interested in writing collaborations and working with “unexpected” artists. He also dreams of writing scripted TV and film projects, including a comedy.
A creative at heart, Monét recently graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education as a first-year student. During the lesson, he would listen to music belonging to the country where the food he prepared was made. The artist, who often brings food to the production team during recording sessions, says that the vibrations of international music and the friendship that food and friendship can bring will influence some of the vocal tones of his songs.
So why would an artist at the peak of his career become a chef?
“Maybe rebellion… I want to do something where I don’t get paid, where I don’t get defined,” Monét said. “You don’t have to base your schedule solely on things that clearly bring you profit. And you never know where that’s going to take you.”
“The Frequency of Love” will largely determine where his career goes next. But Monét hopes to act with the spirit of intention and gratitude that she has prioritized throughout her life.
“I went through a period where I was criticizing everything. I was looking around and seeing what could be better: myself, my workplace, my mood, my music situation, my vocal state, my body, I was criticizing everything,” he said. “And so it’s really been a journey to get to a place where I can work in this shift — this paradigm shift — that makes me okay with everything that is, but also everything that is to come.”
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Follow Associated Press entertainment reporter Gary Gerard Hamilton on all social media platforms at @GaryGHamilton.