It's Victoria Monét's Time For Pop Stardom

Victoria Monét has put in the work over the past decade. Having written and produced hits for Ariana Grande, Blackpink, Chloe X Halle and others, her genre-fluid pen knows no bounds. Though her best-known words have arrived by way of other artists, she's released EPs of her own, and has garnered a large following of fans who have lauded her songwriting prowess. With her major-label debut album Jaguar II, released last month by RCA Records, and the accompanying Jaguar Tour, Monét is finally at the forefront of her own work. And she’s here to stay.

Fans packed the House of Blues Dallas on Sunday night. Many were dressed in dark chocolate browns or vibrant yellows, matching Monét's well-crafted, soulful aesthetic. Though Monét has been a go-to songwriter in the realm of pop, she homes in on the R&B side on Jaguar II, and the album’s preceding EP, Jaguar. A light scent of weed wafted through the room, setting the chill, groovy vibe for the night.

Monét arrived on the stage wearing a flowing metallic garment, before ripping it off to reveal a two-piece sequined brassiere-and-shorts set. She opened with the Jaguar cut “Moment.” Though this particular song is one of the more randy of Monét’s catalog, it was the most fitting to kick off the night, as the audience chanted back the lyrics, “Life is but a dream that you manifested slowly / So fuck a fantasy, this your motherfuckin' moment.” Shortly after, Monét was joined by two dancers, who, alongside Monét, didn’t miss a beat throughout the entire night. Their energy was evident as they danced along to her more fast-paced hits, including the pandemic-era self-confidence anthem, “Ass Like That.”

As she dipped into some of the songs from her latest effort, fans were knowledgeable of nearly every lyric, which shows the infectiousness of her songwriting, as the album has been out for only a month. After performing “Stop (Asking Me 4Shyt)” — a standout from the album, with an all-too-relatable message about dealing with trifling men — she issued a special message to the audience.

“Stop telling your friend’s business to your other friend, because you know she’s going to go ahead and tell her other friends,” which was met with cheers.

“And stop reselling my motherfucking tour tickets!”

With stunning visual elements and elaborate choreography, Monét has shown herself a student of the legendary ladies who came before her. After all, she was spotted at Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour show in Houston the night before. Her performance of her standalone single “F.U.C.K. (Friend U Can Keep)” saw her and her dancers simulating a steamy ménage à trois, reminiscent of Janet Jackson's best tour moments.

But as she performed some of her deeper cuts, including her 2018 tracks “New Love” and “Freak,” fans would certainly show that she’s carving out a lane of her own.

“So you do know these songs,” Monét said to the audience, who certainly proved their loyalty without missing a note or lyric throughout the night.

Her backing band played Outkast’s “SpottieOttieDopaliscious” during a brief intermission, as Monét quickly disappeared from the stage. She returned dressed in a large pimp coat and a matching hat, as she sang the silky, ‘70s-inspired “Cadillac (A Pimp’s Anthem)” from Jaguar II.

Toward the end of her set, she performed a funkified, R&B-influenced version of her S.G. Lewis and Khalid collaboration “Experience,” before closing with the sexually-empowering "Jaguar."

Monét arrived back on stage for a performance of her biggest hit to date, “On My Mama,” which went viral with its Dirty South, Y2K-inspired music video. The song features a sample of Texas rapper Chalie Boy’s 2009 hit “I Look Good,” which was a Houston and Dallas favorite around the time of its release. Though it was late into the evening, fans were still pumped for this song and weren't going to leave until she performed it. To the surprise of the audience, Monét brought out Chalie to the stage, who added his signature harmonies to the live performance.

After years of hard work, Monét has maintained her momentum, showing time and time again that she and her work merit the same main pop girly status as the artists for whom she writes. Persevering through an ageist industry, she’s finally launched her proper debut era at 34, setting the bar high as a songwriter, and now as a performer in her own right. And believe us, there will be many high-caliber performances and eras to come.