Monica has always been a straight shooter when it comes to music and interviews— it’s why fans love her. So when the 37-year-old stopped by the ESSENCE Now studio, we had to ask her about new music, old classics and if we would ever get another song from her and Brandy.
While the pair have been rumored rivals, Monica dispelled any misconceptions about what she thinks about her fellow R&B icon.
“Brandy is one of our greats, from that era,” she said.
Their 1998 hit song “The Boy Is Mine” turns 20 years old in May and the singer knows why it instantly became a classic. “You take two girls who are complete opposites, you blend them together and you make a record and you have Mekhi Phifer in the video— and the good part about it is, in the end, we turn on him.”
“Girls collectively enjoyed not just the sound, but the visuals. That song was so well produced and created —because we didn’t know each other before we recorded it— but it automatically made people think and assume we did. And I think that comes with great production. Rodney Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels.. all of them were in this room and they were giving their ideas and they were young and just lively at heart. And I think they saw the vision when they created the record, so I’m just very fortunate that they brought me into it.”
When asked if her new music will include a song with Brandy, the mother-of-three was practical about the idea.
“One thing about Brandy and I, I think there’s always room for us to work and do whatever we want to do or chose to do with each other. Always.”
Adding, “I always tell people: We’re not trying to duplicate what we did before. We understand that that’s a moment in time. But when we make other music, we don’t want it to be the idea that we’re trying to re-do a that [‘The Boy Is Mine’].”