Monica

Monica Denise Brown, professionally known as Monica, is an American R&B recording artist and entertainer. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, Monica began performing as a child and, by the time she was 10, joined a traveling gospel choir. Widely acclaimed for her powerful vocals and emotional performances, Monica cites Whitney Houston as her biggest inspiration and influence. She is also influenced by Mary J. Blige, Betty Wright, Gladys Knight, and Anita Baker.

Monica signed with the Rowdy label and released her debut studio album, "Miss Thang," in 1995. The first two singles from this album, “Don't Take It Personal” and “Before You Walk out of My Life,” made her the youngest recording act to ever have two consecutive No. 1 hits on the Billboard Top R&B Singles chart. Her second album, “The Boy Is Mine,” was released in 1998 and spawned five singles, including the No. 1 hits “The Boy Is Mine,” “The First Night,” and “Angel of Mine.” Consequently, it received positive reviews from Rolling Stone and AllMusic. The album's success earned Monica three Grammy Award nominations and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA.

After a label switch to J Records, Monica released her third album, “All Eyez on Me,” only in Japan in 2002. A retooled version of this album, “After the Storm,” was released in 2003. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and featured the single “So Gone,” which became Monica's biggest-selling single in years. In 2006, Monica released her fifth studio album, “The Makings of Me,” which reached the top of the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #8 on the Billboard 200. She then released her sixth studio album, 2010’s “Still Standing," which was chronicled by her BET reality series of the same name. It included “Everything to Me,” her sixth #1 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The second single, “Love All Over Me,” was a Top 10 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Monica's career includes notable milestones, such as a Verzuz battle with Brandy in 2020, which broke records. She has also collaborated with other artists on songs like "Pink" to aid breast cancer research and "Love Me Enough" with Nicki Minaj. Monica also entered the country music genre with her song "Open Roads" from her 9th studio album. She has released multiple albums throughout her career, with her latest single, "Friends," in 2022.

Moreover, Monica has broadened her career beyond music, appearing in several films and television shows, including "Boys and Girls," "ATL," "VH1," "The Voice," and "The Real." She has also been a contestant on "Celebrity Game Face" and "Celebrity Family Feud" and will host the upcoming show "Celebrity True Crime Story." Monica has also taken an active role in society, founding the "Be Human" foundation to create positive change.