Why Victoria Monét Has 'More at Stake' Than Ever as Both a Musician and Mom
"I've always been, from inception, writing for myself and wanting to perform and dance," Victoria explained during E! News' series,"Music and being an artist was one way I could combine all of my passions into one, and so I just feel like songwriting was more successful first."
As more of the music industry took notice of her talents, she said "many other doors" opened for her as an artist. Victoria released her first EP,, in 2014, and she's since added five additional records to her discography—all without the help of a label. "Being able to tell my own story is really," she said, "it's a beautiful luxury for me right now." However, as she noted, "being an independent artist is definitely not easy.""It is not something for the weak because it's not some button that someone could press at a label that's been around for centuries and everything happens, you know?" Victoria continued. "So it's definitely, it makes me proud to be where I am today, independently.
She wants the same for other artists, too. "It's really important to see more representation of Black people and especially Black women," she added. "Whenever you're able to see yourself in art or see yourself in someone, it can really change your life and have such a huge impact on how you navigate everything. So when you don't see yourself, it makes you feel this insecurity...I feel like art should always be a reflection of the times.