- 13 minutes ago
Victoria Monét breaks down 'Frequency of Love' in this Billboard News interview—why this era is about healing, softness and choosing love—while also opening up about touring, the pressure of live performance, and the collaborators who helped shape the project. From training in Tai Qi and doing breathwork to pulling inspiration from her grandmother for the “Juicy” music video, Victoria shares the mindset behind the album and what she hopes fans “take home” after listening, touching on the meaning of 'Frequency of Love' and her healing journey, working with Bruno Mars, SZA and Chlöe, the story and family references inside the “Juicy” video, bringing her daughter Hazel into the studio (and onto a song), live vocals and “perfection” expectations (and why she gives performers grace), and a rapid-fire round of “Victoria’s Secrets” covering beauty, studio habits, wardrobe, tour essentials and more.
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00:00There's lots of growth that I've had as an artist, as a person, as a mom, as someone with a
00:04perspective,
00:05so I'm excited to share that, but you know there's going to be dance.
00:08You know it, you know it, you know it.
00:11What's up, you guys? It's Victoria Monet, and this is Billboard News.
00:25I'm trying to get on the frequency of love, Victoria Monet. How are you doing, girl?
00:29I'm great. How are you?
00:30I mean, happy you're here, happy about this album.
00:33Talk about the frequencies that you touch listening to the project.
00:35You're talking about love in so many different ways.
00:37Yes.
00:38So how did you come up with the title there and that that's what this project meant to you?
00:41You know, when I started this project, I really had to do a lot of healing.
00:43The Jaguar era, I feel that it was much like a Jaguar, where I had my nails out,
00:48I was ready to claw through the music industry and find my way to the light
00:51and bite down on success and really just be a huntress.
00:54And for this project, when I, you know, explored the pressures that I may have felt
01:00after the success of it, I really had to come down into softness
01:03and be able to attract the things that I want.
01:05So it led me on this spiritual journey to healing, to different types of mental health.
01:11Chi, so I trained in Tai Chi.
01:13I did breath work.
01:14I went to culinary school.
01:16All these modalities that were outside of music that really helped me heal.
01:19And all of it had to be done with love because none of those things were paying me.
01:23So it had to be with the intention of love.
01:25I'm looking at my daughter when I come home every, you know, every day
01:28and really just thinking about what she needs from me, which is love.
01:32And I just felt myself wanting to reflect that more.
01:35Even looking out into the world and seeing the news, it's like,
01:38oof, we could use a little bit more of that.
01:41So it's really just what was on my heart to express.
01:51I think that's so vulnerable for you to be real about that
01:54because a lot of people don't think about, like, the pressures
01:56that you can go through, like, winning a Grammy,
01:58having this successful era and having to, like, carry that.
02:01So what was the kind of catalyst to that experience for you
02:03that made you decide to, like, lock into the spirituality and Tai Chi?
02:06Like, that's insane.
02:07I went to school for a health-centered plant-based culinary school.
02:10I was able to bring some of those things home and into the studio.
02:14After that, just wanting to do more and realizing how healing it was,
02:18how it was getting me back in touch with my roots, which were my grandma,
02:22and how she felt, and it felt like love.
02:25And even Tai Chi regaining energy, which led to breath work.
02:29The more I explored and the more I learned,
02:31the more I got obsessed with more learning.
02:34And so I just, I never want to stop learning,
02:36and I think that's one way to remain humble and ignore any pressures
02:39because you're always going to be at the beginning of something.
02:42You're always a student.
02:43You'll always, you know, have more growth to do.
02:47So you shouldn't be feeling like you're at the top of this mountain
02:50and you have to hold your place up there.
02:52You can start at the beginning of another hill.
02:54You've had a lot of really cool friends help you on this project,
02:57which I am, like, mind-blown at your list here.
02:59Same.
03:00It's, like, insane.
03:01And, I mean, it was so cool that I even got to hear some of the music today,
03:03jamming out with you.
03:04So, first I want to start with Bruno Mars,
03:06like, one of the busiest men in the industry.
03:09So, how'd you lock that down?
03:10And tell me how it was to work with him on that track.
03:19You know, I've been wanting that collaboration to happen for years and years,
03:24even before, just as a songwriter watching him.
03:27The first thing I saw was him make this really successful hook with B.O.B.,
03:32Beautiful Girls.
03:36And then right after that, he had a smash.
03:38So, I was like, that's a really good way to introduce yourself to the world
03:41on a rap hook and, you know, cross genres and, like, widen a fan base
03:45and then come in with your own record.
03:47So, I'm going to do that.
03:48I'm just going to write hooks and, you know, it'll also exercise my pen
03:52and allow me to craft better hooks.
03:55So, I just focused on that and that even led to a Nas feature.
03:59He was the first person to keep me on a record.
04:02Just then, where I've been.
04:05My goal was just to sing the hook so well that maybe rappers would keep me as an artist
04:09as a feature. And so, that was probably 2015.
04:13So, I'm still, to this day, thinking about Bruno Mars and his, you know, his approach to music,
04:18his classical sound, eventually was able to manifest opening for him on the Romantic Tour
04:23over the summer in Europe.
04:25And I also, during the making of this album, I know that he works with Dmall a lot,
04:30who's been my friend ever since I moved to L.A. in 2009, and frequent collaborator and executive
04:35producer of Jaguar.
04:36Bruno had him really tied up, you know, he likes to, you know, really perfect his album.
04:42So, I was like, you know, I can't book Dmall the way that, you know, because he's busy with Bruno,
04:47but I can at least book the studio next door.
04:49So, I was right across the way. Dmall was able to pop back and forth and, you know, at a
04:55point,
04:55Bruno came over and heard some music. So, maybe that was the start of the idea, that I was on
05:01the
05:01right track to open for him and then eventually collaborate as artist. So, I'm so thankful.
05:07The plan worked.
05:08The plan worked. I'm like, you're running off stage as you're opening. You're like, Bruno, studio tomorrow.
05:13Yeah.
05:14And then SZA, I mean, I'm sure you guys have been obviously close for a while in this industry.
05:19Yeah.
05:19But, like, hearing you two together is a beautiful thing. So, how was it to get her on that one?
05:23Oh my gosh. Now, this one I've also wanted for a very long time. There was a song I had
05:27back in the day called, Ass Like That.
05:34She reached out about that song and was showing love. I think she's really, really great at
05:39no matter who you are, no matter how small you may feel, she'll see you and she will actually
05:44like vocalize it and tell you you're doing great. And she's been so encouraging over the
05:48years and very inspiring to me too because when I look at someone who's able to maintain
05:53success even with four years in between a project, it's SZA. When I felt the pressures
05:57of momentum and you must be a machine and, you know, you need to ride this wave that you're
06:04on while the spotlight's on you and produce, kind of like a machine, I was like, well, SZA
06:08didn't. You know? So, using her as my North Star was really helpful and to have her on this
06:13project means a lot.
06:20She does not say yes to just anything. So, it just was very validating for her to be
06:27on the project and allow me to have her a part of it. So, I'm super thankful. I feel
06:33like there's plenty of interviews with me like gushing about her and just a huge fan. I think
06:38she's incredible.
06:39One other collab I want to talk to before moving to some of the other songs we heard
06:42today as well. Chloe.
06:53Even me, like knowing her over the years, I feel like she's my little cousin. I just want
06:56to love on her all the time. So, how was it to bring her into this project and what was
06:59that energy?
06:59I love her so much. The first time we got to collaborate was with me as a songwriter,
07:05her and her sister. I wrote a song with them called Do It. I've always been a fan from a
07:10distance, even before I met them. Seeing them do their own thing has been really special.
07:14And so, lately online, I see a lot of similarities in us because for some reason the internet loves
07:21to pick on us. I mean, there's a few of us. There's a few black women that the internet
07:28just claws at. As of lately, I feel like we've been the paper they're clawing at.
07:33I call it the internet record labels. Everybody thinks they're an exec.
07:36Yeah, yeah. You know, it's tough because I want people to, my art to invoke an opinion.
07:42I want people to feel a certain way, like you strongly disagree or you don't. But then there's
07:47some ways of delivering that message that feel just hurtful and disrespectful. But I'm
07:52not mad if you don't like the music because there's millions and millions of people in
07:55the world and it just means we're not on the same frequency. You can always change to a
07:59new station. I have no problem with that. But the delivery in which people say certain
08:03things on apps, it's a little out of control. So a lot of times I want to step in and
08:07stand
08:08up for everybody. But Chloe and I feel like we're late in that way where people pick on
08:13us. And I wanted to have a song with her that is like, no matter what, we're not going to
08:18lose our confidence. We're not going to lose ourselves. We're not going to lose our joy
08:22because you want to project onto us whatever you feel that we deserve or your opinions.
08:27And we will succeed and survive together holding hands as women in the music industry and, you
08:34know, bully through it.
08:35I love it. I love that for you both. And I mean, when you talk about Chloe, I think about
08:39even with the SZA and everything of like, you guys are sort of the women that are kind of like
08:42pushing R&B forward. And I think that is important to you. I can tell in a lot of ways
08:47in your
08:47art. How do you feel like R&B is involving and how do you feel like you're kind of helping
08:52ushering into that next chapter?
08:53I want people to always realize that R&B is and has never been just one thing. There's
08:59an and in the genre. R and B. So like even by name, it's never just one thing. And so
09:06being
09:06able to let us explore and let us use different sounds and sonic scapes and let it, you know,
09:12transform is healthy. It's a larger conversation too. But I think just not judging what is R&B
09:20and what is not by skin color would be really nice. What is and what is not R&B by
09:25the way
09:25people dress. All of these things like these microaggressions and I don't even know what
09:31to call it, but I don't like it. And I think that R&B should have the space to grow
09:35and develop. And
09:36also the space to be traditional. And yeah, I'm just happy to be free to roam about the
09:42cabin and just do what feels best and not really even worry about what it should be called,
09:47but more so that if it is true to me, if it's accurate to my story, my truth, and my,
09:56you know,
09:57reflection of what I'm going through within that time frame. So.
10:00And let's talk about some something you just recently worked on.
10:03Yes. Juicy music video.
10:05Yes.
10:05I heard you with our boy Jaquel on the video.
10:07Yes.
10:08So talk to me about Juicy. What can you tell us so far?
10:10There's lots of different messages within the music video, but a lot of it was inspired by my grandmother.
10:15My grandmother, she had really a really cool look. It was a vintage 1940s and fifties fashion.
10:24Um, but also there was a movie that we watched together called Dorothy Dandridge. It was, um,
10:28her biopic. And when I was a kid, I was so excited by her demeanor, by seeing a black actress
10:36and singer,
10:37but also really inspired by the fact that even though she was performing at these big places,
10:41she wasn't allowed to use the bathroom. There was still, you know, there was still limits to what she could
10:46do.
10:46And she became, you know, the first black woman to be nominated for an Academy Award.
10:50There's a bit of inspiration from her in there.
10:53I kind of played Carmen Jones in the beginning of the music video, which is a character Dorothy Dandridge played.
10:59And it's also ties into the fabric of the album because there's a Dorothy Dandridge cover on the album track
11:04three care for somebody.
11:05And it's a video that my grandma watched and the colors of the music video or my grandma's wedding colors.
11:11It's like mint green. There's so many little messages in it. So I'm excited to share lots of dance.
11:18It feels like a dancing with the stars number. So I love the family vibes. Shout out to Granny.
11:22Yeah, exactly.
11:23And then like speaking of the family vibes, you had Hazel on the song with Leon Thomas, correct?
11:28You mean the world to me. That's why I try to save the world.
11:34Look at my girl back in the studio. So how is she growing with you in this process?
11:37And how was it to have her around this time?
11:39She's the boss. She's the boss. She's like, you know, I took her on tour over the summer as well.
11:43And every show I see her in the pit doing the choreography and really excited and proud, obsessed with Bruno's
11:51show.
11:52She calls Anderson Paak Uncle Andy. It's Uncle Bruno.
11:55So introducing her to the life and just showing her how great it can get,
11:59but also showing her that mommy has to work really, really hard to do these types of things.
12:03So she's seeing the process from rehearsals and studio time and mix sessions, edit sessions to the stage, how people
12:12receive that.
12:12So she's, she's set. I took her to dance class and she's like, she's, she's ready. She's a performer.
12:20Oh, we got a little superstar on our hands.
12:21She's in the Juicy Music video too. So she's her acting debut.
12:25Why was it the song with Leon that you felt like was the one you wanted to pair Hazel on?
12:29The message of the song is so for her. The lyrics are, you mean the world to me. That's why
12:34I try to save the world.
12:35So anybody who loves anybody else can relate to that message. It's like, we want to make the world a
12:41better place because you exist in it.
12:43You know, it's not just for me. It's for the people that I love to roam this place freely and
12:49have enough resources to live sustainably and happily.
12:53The message being about her was a big part of it. And then also at one point she came to
12:58the studio while I was listening to that song and gave her a big hug and she started singing it.
13:04And I was like, do you want to, do you want to sing it on the microphone?
13:08She was shy. So we made everybody leave the room. She was looking around and she started recording it. It
13:14just made me cry.
13:15I was like, I have to keep her on it. I asked Leon if it was cool. He was like,
13:19beautiful. So here we are.
13:22Extremely precious. I love it. And I think about your journey, you know, you're so hardworking and I, you know,
13:27there's all these different like layers to it. Right.
13:28So I think about even at the beginning, everybody knew you guys with Ariana, of course, and working on her
13:33projects and stuff.
13:34When you think about that time period in your life to now, did any of it inspire you or how
13:38do you feel like that journey with Ariana brought you to here today as well?
13:41Oh, my gosh. It was really inspiring to be able to work closely with people that you admire and also
13:47work closely with people who also see you the way you see yourself.
13:50Behind the scenes, Ariana had always been super supportive and saw me as an artist and was supporting my music
13:55and wanting to hear things and just a really great friend and putting me in places to provide success.
14:01So she allowed me to open up for her on tour, on her arena tour. She allowed me to be
14:06a feature, you know, with her in Monopoly.
14:09Matter of fact, I don't even care where you've been. Bad vibes get on for me out of here with
14:15that fuckery.
14:15When she's mentioning songwriter, she's mentioning my name. It was really a special union and I'm so proud to see
14:22what she's done.
14:22I know she's the feeling is mutual. We make really great partners in studio. We make really great partners in
14:28life and understanding each other.
14:30So I think that relationship as a foundation is always going to be there. There's so many people who saw
14:35me as well.
14:36So I feel like I could never have done this all by myself. Always takes a team.
14:41Sometimes I did have to, you know, sub in early on when budgets were not, you know.
14:48Budgeting.
14:49Yeah, right. They were actually limiting. But yeah, it's worth it. You know, it's worth it to go through all
14:56those things.
14:57And it also makes me appreciate everybody else's job now. Positions. Like, oh, I understand what you're doing, what you're
15:04going through.
15:04Because at one point I had to figure out how to do it on my own. So respect, respect, respect.
15:09Like it feels, I feel that, you know.
15:11And that's how you can be so involved because you know what's going on.
15:14Yeah. Also.
15:15And then, I mean, you talked about I love opening up for Ariana. Just was opening up for Bruno.
15:19Yes.
15:19But October 27th, you're kicking off your thing, girl. North American League of the Tour.
15:24So tell me what we're going to see on this tour. I mean, people love you live, but what are
15:28you going to bring it this time?
15:29The Frequency of Love Tour. A lot of the new music, but I will be doing the older music, too.
15:34I don't want people to feel like I'm going to do this album from top to bottom.
15:37I'm picking all my favorites of everything and really giving it to everybody. I haven't gone on my headlining tour
15:44in three years.
15:45So there's lots of growth that I've had as an artist, as a person, as a mom, as someone with
15:50a perspective.
15:51So I'm excited to share that. But you know there's going to be dance.
15:54Yes.
15:55You know it. You know it. You know it. And live music. You know, I really respect musicians and people
16:00who have practiced so much to perfect their craft.
16:02I know with the AI conversation, it's really easy to use tools to just create things.
16:08But I think people's blood, sweat, tears and souls being involved in every step is so important and beautiful.
16:13And I want to showcase that, bring that to the show. But yeah, I'm ready to do this. I'm excited.
16:19And I know we were talking earlier about the internet record labels and how everybody has an opinion.
16:24I don't know if you saw this clip recently, but it went super viral on my timeline with the JoJo.
16:28So the pressure to sound perfect has never been higher.
16:30And she was talking about like going to shows and how everybody has an opinion on live vocals and when
16:36the artist is on or not and what their mic is doing.
16:39How involved are you in that process? And do you think about like every show, like there's cameras everywhere. This
16:44could go viral.
16:45Like, do you think about that or do you just try to live in the moment?
16:47I feel like I give grace because in a digital world, when there's a piano being played, it's not a
16:55live piano anymore.
16:56It's it's perfected because it's digital. So if we're at a jazz club and there's a piano there, it may
17:01be a little bit off tune.
17:02So there's a little bit more room for the vocal to be a little bit off tune.
17:06But when everything is digital, it's going through chords and you got tune on the piano, tune on the guitar.
17:11And you want my vocal to just be flawless, just just raw, flawless.
17:15So I'm I feel like tune is OK. Melodyne is OK.
17:20Unless you're in a different setting where it's an upright bass and you're in a jazz club and the circumstances
17:26are different where the instruments are, you know, different.
17:29I do feel like there's a lot of pressure for live performers to be perfect.
17:33One performance of six thousand people now becomes six hundred thousand because each person has a phone and they're posting
17:38it to their followers.
17:39So I understand what Jojo is saying, but she's also like a supreme supreme supreme vocalist.
17:47Some people just don't need it if you need it.
17:49And if it makes you feel comfortable, do your thing. And if not, do your thing.
17:52I love it. There's something for everybody. Yeah.
17:54And then when you think about this album, what do you want people to take away from it?
17:58Like after you've now finished this body of work, even up to today, finishing this body of work.
18:03And tomorrow.
18:04What do you want people to take away from this entire program?
18:13I really just want them to take love home because depending on how you wake up and walk out the
18:18door, it'll determine how your day goes.
18:20And the decision is up to you instead of reacting to environments and things that are thrown your way.
18:27Maybe you create and attract different differently.
18:32If you remain on the frequency of love throughout the day, it's harder for negative things that get thrown at
18:37you to even infiltrate.
18:39I really like to think of it like a radio station.
18:42You know, you can't even hear whatever else is going on on the other stations because you're only tuned to
18:46that.
18:47And when you tune yourself to love long enough, the world around you starts to look like love.
18:51You hear love. You feel love. You see love. You see it differently.
18:55So I'm just hoping that it inspires that.
18:58And on the days that you don't have it all together, you return to the album and you listen and
19:02choose which version of love you want to tune into.
19:05Whether you're single or whether you want to tell someone they mean the world to you or dance a little
19:11bit.
19:12It's all there.
19:13Something for everybody.
19:14Yeah.
19:14Well, before I get everybody out of here, I always like to play a little game.
19:17Okay. I like a game.
19:18I like to tie it to you guys, okay?
19:19So this game of rapid fire is called Victoria's Secrets.
19:23Oh, okay.
19:25So what's your beauty?
19:26Juicy.
19:27Not too juicy. Not too juicy.
19:28Oh, okay.
19:28Not too much.
19:29All right. What's your beauty secret?
19:31I really enjoy moisturized skin.
19:33So I love mixing oil and lotion or oil and creams.
19:39Like making a little concoction in my hand and using both.
19:44And maybe with a little bit of fragrance as well.
19:47So it's a little concoction.
19:48Oh, okay.
19:49All right.
19:49I'm trying that.
19:50Cause you know, they be making fun of people on the internet saying people don't be lotioning after they shower.
19:53I've been mad about it.
19:55Cause you're in such a rush.
19:56Sometimes you miss the little, the parts.
19:58Crevices?
19:59Yeah.
20:00What is your studio secret?
20:02I like to record in the dark.
20:04Really?
20:04Yeah.
20:05I feel like when you turn one sense off, the other one gets stronger.
20:08So it may, it may be just my, my thing.
20:11But, um, every time people come in, they're like, I can't, where is she?
20:15I can't see.
20:16Yeah.
20:17That's amazing.
20:18Yeah.
20:18A wardrobe secret.
20:19Uh, pasties.
20:21Need them.
20:21Need a good, strong pasties.
20:23Gotta.
20:23Gotta have it.
20:24A music video set secret.
20:27Uh, good energy.
20:29I think you have to have good energy.
20:30I think when you're filming a music video, things need to go fast because you don't want to pay for
20:35overtime.
20:36But if you can deliver that, you know, urgency with, you know, good energy, then it makes every shot feel
20:42better.
20:43Heck yeah.
20:44I need to subscribe to that.
20:45Um, a school morning secret.
20:47Music.
20:48Mmm.
20:49Definitely.
20:49It gets you through?
20:50Yeah.
20:51Yeah.
20:51It just changes the day, whether we're making up the songs or we're playing the songs.
20:56It just, you know, it's a pep and a step, but that's her caffeine for now.
20:59Well, I'm sure it helps to have a musician mom.
21:01Yeah.
21:02Um, a tour secret.
21:04Tour secret.
21:05Throat coat.
21:06Have you ever seen My Pure Mist?
21:07No.
21:08It's this thing that, this looks crazy, but it's like a, something you put over your nose and it delivers
21:13like, um, mist right into your, and moisture, steam right into your throat.
21:18And so if you're ever feeling hoarse or even if you go to Coachella, it's, it's dry in the desert.
21:23The My Pure Mist, you know, it'll get you right.
21:26Okay.
21:26I'm gonna be on Amazon.
21:28Yeah.
21:28All right.
21:28And then the last thing, a frequency of love secret.
21:31Just remembering that the choice is yours, that you don't have to react, but also, but instead you, you transmit,
21:38you get to choose which frequency you're on.
21:41And the choice is only yours.
21:43So, it gives you a lot of power and faith in the way that you can change your day or
21:49your life.
21:50Well, that's a great way to end this interview.
21:52Yeah.
21:52Have so much fun talking to you always.
21:54Thanks for coming Victoria.
21:54Me too.
21:55You're great.
21:56Thank you so much.
22:00You're welcome here.
22:00Yep.