Charles Langston:Grammy nominee Victoria Monét on making history: "One step closer to a really big dream"

Victoria Monét is believed to be making history with her seven Grammy nominations — the most of an openly queer, Black woman artist in a single year. Her 2-year-old daughter, Hazel, is also breaking records as the youngest Grammy nominee ever with her nod for Best Traditional R&B Performance as a featured artist alongside Earth, Wind & Fire on Monét's hit song "Hollywood."

When Monét heard her name among the 66th Annual Grammy Awards nominees, she was floored.

"There wasn't even a break in between enough to digest the first one," Monét, 34, told "CBS Mornings" co-anchor Gayle King in an interview for the show's "Road to the Grammys" series. "I would've been enamored at one."

Grammy nominations

Monét is nominated for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (Jaguar II); Best R&B Album (Jaguar II); Best R&B Song ("On My Mama"); Best Traditional R&B Performance ("Hollywood"); Best R&B Performance ("How Does It Make You Feel"); Best New Artist (Jaguar II) and Record Of The Year ("On My Mama").

"Like, this is one step closer to a really big dream. But to have them repeatedly happen was like, 'God, you are really showing out right now,'" Monét said.

Monét's now Grammy-nominated anthem, "On My Mama," has made countless "Best of 2023" lists, and the music video's catchy choreography has taken the internet by storm.

"Now it's beyond my circle of people that can even tag me or send me things. It's in the church. Like, people are doing sermons on it, and singing," Monét said of the song becoming a viral sensation. She said the record "feels fun and twerkable," with a general message spanning from her grandma to her mom and her daughter.

Recording "On My Mama"

"On My Mama" was recorded weeks after Monét had her daughter, Hazel, and she has said she was struggling with postpartum depression.

"At the time, I was recording lots of songs that I just didn't feel confident about. My voice had changed. I didn't really know what to write about because there was a pandemic. So I didn't live much life. And I'm here with a new baby, breastfeeding in the studio. I'm like, "What do I say?'" Monét recalled. 

Eventually, Monét said the lyrics became words of affirmation and a mantra.

"So it's like, I don't feel fly. I don't feel like I look good right now. But I'm gonna say it anyway until I believe it," Monét said.

As an artist, Monét hopes to continue to explore new sounds that can touch different generations. She has a soft spot for music from the '60s and '70s, which her grandparents played.

"I heard you said you want music that people could play in a smoky bedroom or the family reunion," King said.

"I want the generation from — where that music was their prime to appreciate it but also my generation to find some of the lyrics fun and use them as captions. So I want to have that juxtaposition," Monét agreed.

Making history

Monét, who describes herself as bisexual, admits it was a long journey to get to a point where she felt comfortable being herself.

"It took so long. It — I mean, over half of my life to feel comfortable enough to say anything," Monét told King. "So I feel now is the time to stand my ground, and be proud of what I am, and who I am."

And Monét has a lot to be proud of — as a mom and an artist. Hazel, who she called her "little mini-me," could become the youngest Grammy Award winner in history and will be attending the star-studded ceremony alongside her mom. 

"I'm visualizing it. ... I'm like, "What is it — what do I smell like? What does it — how heavy are they? Does my daughter have one? Is she next to me? What team members are around me? Who do I wanna thank? I'm really doing strong visualizations because they're so close," Monét said.

"You're in striking distance. And you've got seven chances to do it," King laughed.

The Grammys will be broadcast live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ on Sunday, Feb. 4, beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. 

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• Grammys
• Grammy Awards