Victoria Monét Shares How She Used Song "On My Mama" As A Word Of Affirmation After Bout With Postpartum
Singer and songwriter Victoria Monét is providing insight into the process behind her latest single, "On My Mama," and how her experience with motherhood served as inspiration.
Monét, who started as a songwriter, caught her big break within the entertainment industry over a decade ago when she earned her first writing credit on Diddy-Dirty Money's 2010 track "I Hate That You Love Me."
Over the years, Monét's success as a songwriter and vocalist soared to new heights as she collaborated with other artists such as Brandy, Fifth Harmony, Jordin Sparks, T.I., B.o.B., Ariana Grande, Jhene Aiko, and countless others. In 2019, Monét ultimately earned her first Grammy nomination for contributing to Ariana Grande's hit song "7 Rings."
Since then, Monét continues to make a name for herself in the industry, this time by focusing on her solo endeavors, including her upcoming album Jaguar 2. The 34-year-old dropped her latest single, "On My Mama," a sample of Chalie Boy's "I Look Good," in June and has been generating buzz due to its empowering lyrics.
During an interview on The Ebro Show, Monét revealed that the lighthearted tune began as a positive affirmation after experiencing various challenges following the birth of her daughter Hazel Gaines on February 2021.
Victoria On The Inspiration Behind "On My Mama"
In the discussion, Monét explained that the concept of "On My Mama" came in 2021 during a low period in her life as she tried adjusting to motherhood.
Monét disclosed that after welcoming Hazel with her longtime partner, John Gaines, she started experiencing postpartum depression in the middle of the global pandemic. This added to Monét's stress because she often worried about her daughter's safety.
"This record actually happened in 2021, probably… Maybe eight or nine weeks after I gave birth, right? So I'm in the mental space of, I was really having a hard time. I had postpartum depression," she said. "I was still breastfeeding, just adjusting to the life, but also in the midst of COVID. So we're in a pandemic, everything's a little bit risky, scary to even be in the studio with a child."
Further into the interview, Monét shared that when creating "On My Mama," --which includes lyrics about looking good, feeling good, and deserving the best life possible-- she had to force herself to believe the words she was writing because she was still in a state of disbelief.
"'On My Mama' was the first record I did that I actually liked. But it came while I was in a place of disbelief in what I was actually saying. So it's almost like I had to speak it into existence. And I do look good, I do feel good, and I am deserving," she stated.
When Monét came to the realization, she acknowledged how powerful the track could be for other people.
"And so, I think of the record as an anthem for affirmations, positive self-talk, manifestations, living in abundance, speaking things into existence, all of that is kind of in the song, but in a really cool hood way. And the sample just feels so good. It feels so good, we were debating on whether to use it because you know it's expensive," she said.
Victoria On Balancing Motherhood And Her Career
As the topic shifted to balancing motherhood and her career, Monét revealed that it can be challenging, but because she has a supportive tribe that consists of family, friends, and a business team, she is able to juggle it all.
"It's really hard, honestly, and I know you can attest to that, just prioritizing certain things. Time is just the currency that you can't get back, so it's like, man, just, it really takes a team, and people who really support and believe in you and understand why you have to be at the studio until 2:00 A.M. whenever you get home," she stated.
"And also a business team that understands why you have to be home and present. Doing flashcards and spending quality time with family. So, it really takes a community, I think about the term tribe a lot, just having people around you that really support that, no negativity, just all support and hands on deck, it really takes a village for even just one child."
Monét's single "On My Mama" is out now, and her album Jaguar II is scheduled to be released on August 25.
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
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Quinta Brunson Gets Real About Divorce, Boundaries & Becoming
Quinta Brunson is the woman who chooses herself, even when the world is watching. And in her June 30 cover story for Bustle, she gives us a rare glimpse into the soft, centered place she's navigating her life from now. From leading one of television's most beloved series in the last decade to quietly moving through life shifts, the creator of Abbott Elementary is walking through a personal evolution and doing so with intention, grace, and a firm grip on her boundaries.
Back in March, the 35-year-old filed for divorce from Kevin Jay Anik after nearly three years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." The news hit the headlines of news outlets fast, but Quinta hadn't planned to announce their dissolution to the public so quickly.
Quinta Brunson On Divorce, Public Scrutiny & Sacred Boundaries
"I remember seeing people be like, ‘She announced her divorce,’" she told Bustle. “I didn’t announce anything. I think people have this idea that people in the public eye want the public to know their every move. None of us do. I promise you. No one wants [everyone] to know when you buy a house, when you move, when a major change happens in your personal life. It’s just that that’s public record information."
In regards to her private moves becoming tabloid fodder, Quinta continued, "I hated that. I hate all of it."
"I Am An Artist First": Quinta On Cutting Her Hair & Reclaiming Herself
Still, the diminutive phenom holds her crown high in the face of change and is returning to the essence of who she is, especially as an artist. "Cutting my hair reminded me that I am an artist first. I want to feel things. I want to make choices. I want to be a person, and not just stuck in having to be a certain way for business." It's giving sacred rebirth. It's giving self-liberation. It's especially giving main character energy.
And while the headlines keep spinning their narratives, the one that Quinta is focused on is her own. For her, slowing down and nourishing herself in ways that feed her is what matters. "It’s a transitional time. I think it’s true for me and my personal life, and it’s how I feel about myself, my career, and the world," Quinta shared with Bustle. “I feel very serious about focusing on watering my own gardens, taking care of myself and the people around me who I actually interact with day-to-day."
That includes indulging in simple rituals that ground her like "making myself a meal" which has become "really, really important to me."
That spirit of agency doesn't stop at the personal. In her professional world, as the creator, executive producer, and lead actress of the critically-acclaimed Abbott Elementary, Quinta understands the weight her choices carry, both on- and off-screen. She revealed to Bustle, "People used to tell me at the beginning of this that the No. 1 on the call sheet sets the tone, and the producer sets the tone — and I’m both of those roles."
She continued, "I understand now, after doing this for four years, how important it was that I set the tone that I did when we first started."
Quinta doesn't just lead, she understands the importance of curating the energy of any space she enters. Even amid a season of shifts and shedding, her power speaks loudly. Sometimes that power looks like quiet resistance. Sometimes that power is soft leadership.
And sometimes that power looks like cutting your hair and taking back your name in rooms that have forgotten you were an artist long before you were a brand.
Read Quinta's cover story on Bustle here to witness the fullness of Quinta's becoming.
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