Reconnecting with her father and sharing her musical journey with her daughter, the Grammy Award-winning artist reflects on family bonds and how they shape her creative process.
- Jun 17, 2024
AceShowbiz - Victoria Monet recently took a heartwarming step in her personal life by celebrating her first Father's Day with her dad. On June 16, the "Moment" singer shared a heartfelt post on X (formerly known as Twitter), featuring a touching photo of her and her father embracing.
"Spending our first Father's Day together ever," she wrote in the caption, calling it "a real blessing." She added, "The little girl in me is so happyyyyyy," and noted that she was "healing."
Monet has candidly opened up about meeting her father for the first time in her twenties and discovering she has a sister. During her appearance on the "Way Up" podcast, hosted by Angela Yee in August 2023, Monet revealed, "I was born an only child, but ... I met my dad in my twenties. And I discovered that I have a sister." Describing her first meeting with her sister as "beautiful," she noted, "[It was] really hard at first, because it's new information, where, like, she was surprised - it was the whole thing."
The experience of growing up as an only child has significantly influenced her music. "I think I was doing a lot of creating in my room," Monet explained. "I didn't have someone to just talk to. Maybe that's why I lean towards writing or being creative to have an outlet to let some of my feelings out."
Monet has also spoken openly about her close relationship with her mother, L'Tanya Chestang-Cubit, who introduced her at Billboard's Women in Music ceremony earlier this year. At the event, her mother reflected, "I remember how you were a little girl, and you were too shy to tell your teacher that you did not have a seat so you sat with your knees bent and legs crossed and pretended that you had a chair." She continued, "Baby girl, not only today do you have a seat at the table, but it's front and center as you're inspiring young ladies to find their voice in music." Monet expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much for being here, Mom."
The artist's journey into motherhood has added another layer to her musical inspiration. In 2021, Monet and her boyfriend John Gaines welcomed their daughter Hazel. Remarkably, Monet made Hazel the youngest Grammy Award nominee by including her toddler's vocals on the track "Hollywood". Speaking with PEOPLE in July 2023, Monet shared that watching Hazel develop a love for music has re-ignited her own passion. "I see her learning rhythm, trying to catch different cadences and what she's attracted to in songs," she said. "I just really get re-inspired by that innocence and that curiosity about music."
