With Rihanna’s pregnancy announcement taking over the internet, and the possibility of an album being erased, it’s safe to say that Gen Z is in need of some new music. Thankfully, Victoria Monét greeted her Instagram with the news of more music to come this spring, and everyone is thrilled. The announcement post is a picture of her clad in royal blue, draped on the bed, smoke dancing in from of her; a fitting image to announce the single titled “Smoke,” set to release on March 24.
Currently, the photo is her only post on the app: Fans are dying for this new era, considering the hiatus Monét has been on since early 2021. Her first studio album, Jaguar, dropped in 2020 and was well-received as she was complimented for her imaginative lyrics surrounding relationships and sex and the 70s and 90s influences on the music. Later that year, Monét announced her pregnancy and eventually gave birth to her daughter Hazel Monét Gaines in early 2021.
ICYMI, Monét has been credited as a songwriter/co-songwriter on many popular tracks, including “Thank U, Next” by Ariana Grande and “Do It” by Chloe x Halle, for which she was nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Song. In 2019, Monét first reached the Billboard Top 100 for her collab with Ariana Grande on the song Monopoly in which she sings about respect, being bisexual, and achieving success.
Jaguar’s final song, “Touch Me,” is a sexy melody where she is singing to a woman about their intense passion, and it is incredibly refreshing to hear bisexuality spotlighted in such a way in the R&B genre.
Now, the drought is over, and fans are eager to hear the single. They quickly caught on to her blacked-out Instagram, triggering their suspicions and welcoming her announcement with open arms, curious to see what sounds and vocals she will experiment with and if Jaguar II will be involved.
Monét even nods at the perfect way to celebrate on the day of the song’s release: “Baby, can we smoke? Considered a vital part of modern R&B, this single is only a hint of the greatness to come.
Naturally, the fans are going wild.
After this musical drought we’ve been in, it finally feels like nature is healing.
It’s safe to say, Monét fans are about to be well-fed. I love this for y’all.