Monica (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Monica
Monica in 2019
Born	Monica Denise Arnold (1980-10-24) October 24, 1980 (age 44) College Park, Georgia, U.S.
Education	North Clayton High School
Occupation	Singer rapper songwriter actress
Years active	1991–present
Works	Discography filmography songs recorded
Spouse(s)	Shannon Brown ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2019)​
Children	3
Relatives	Polow da Don (cousin) Ludacris (cousin)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	R&B soul hip-hop soul
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	MonDeenise Music RCA J Arista Rowdy

Monica Denise Arnold (born October 24, 1980) is a famous American singer, rapper, songwriter, and actress. She grew up in College Park, Georgia, and started singing when she was very young. By age ten, she was part of a traveling gospel choir.

Monica signed with Rowdy Records in 1993. She became well-known after releasing her first album, Miss Thang, in 1995. Her second album, The Boy Is Mine (1998), became her best-selling album. It featured three number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "The Boy Is Mine" (with Brandy), "The First Night", and "Angel of Mine".

Monica has also acted in TV shows like Living Single (1996) and movies such as Love Song (2000). She has sold millions of albums in the United States and won a Grammy Award for "The Boy Is Mine".

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Monica Denise Arnold was born in College Park, Georgia. Her mother, Marilyn Best, was a church singer. Her father, M.C. "Billy" Arnold Jr., was a mechanic. Monica has a younger brother, Montez, and a half-brother, Jermond. She is also a cousin to music producers Polow da Don and Ludacris.

Monica started singing at age two at the Jones Hill Chapel United Methodist Church. Growing up, she often won local singing contests. When she was ten, she joined "Charles Thompson and the Majestics," a gospel choir. She went to North Clayton High School and graduated early at age 16.

Music Career Highlights

Rising to Stardom: Early Albums

In 1991, when Monica was eleven, music producer Dallas Austin discovered her singing a Whitney Houston song. He offered her a record deal with Rowdy Records. Her first album, Miss Thang, came out in 1995. It sold 1.5 million copies in the U.S. and featured two number-one R&B hits: "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)" and "Before You Walk Out of My Life". This made her the youngest artist with two chart-topping R&B songs in a row.

After joining Arista Records, Monica's song "For You I Will" from the Space Jam movie soundtrack became a top ten pop hit in 1996. The next year, she teamed up with Brandy for "The Boy Is Mine". This duet was a huge hit in 1998, staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks. It also won a Grammy Award.

Her second album, The Boy Is Mine, was released later that year. It became Monica's best-selling album, selling over 2 million copies. It included two more number-one hits: "The First Night" and "Angel of Mine".

New Labels and Continued Success

In 2000, Monica moved to Clive Davis's new label, J Records. Her third album, All Eyez on Me (2002), was first released in Japan. Later, she worked with new producers like Missy Elliott to create After the Storm (2003). This album was a big success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The song "So Gone" from this album became a top ten hit.

Her albums The Makings of Me (2006) and Still Standing (2010) also did well. Still Standing was nominated for two Grammy Awards. In 2008, Monica starred in a reality TV special called Monica: The Single, which showed her recording the song "Still Standing". This led to her own BET series, Monica: Still Standing, in 2010.

Recent Music and Collaborations

In 2011, Monica became an adviser on the TV show The Voice. Her seventh album, New Life, came out in 2012. It featured another duet with Brandy, "It All Belongs to Me". In 2013, she sang "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" for the movie The Best Man Holiday.

Her eighth album, Code Red, was released in 2015. After this, she left RCA Records to start her own label, Mondeenise Music. In 2019, she released "Commitment", which became a number-one hit on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart.

In 2020, Monica and Brandy had a popular online music battle on Verzuz, which over a million people watched. She also sang on "Pink" with Dolly Parton to support Breast Cancer Research. More recently, in 2022, she released "Friends" featuring Ty Dolla Sign. In 2023, she collaborated with James Fortune on "Trusting God" and released her own song "Letters". In 2024, she was featured on a remix of "The Boy Is Mine" with Ariana Grande and Brandy. Monica is planning to release two new albums, MDA and Open Road, later this year.

Artistry and Influences

Monica has a strong alto singing voice. Critics have described her voice as "impeccable" and "husky, dramatic." She is known for bringing emotion and beauty to her songs.

Monica has often said that Whitney Houston is her biggest inspiration. She also looks up to artists like Mary J. Blige, Betty Wright, Gladys Knight, and Anita Baker.

Personal Life and Family

Monica has three children. Her first two sons, Rodney and Romelo, were born in 2005 and 2008. In 2010, Monica met NBA player Shannon Brown while filming a music video. They got married in a private ceremony in November 2010, and later had a bigger wedding for family and friends. Their daughter, Laiyah Shannon Brown, was born in 2013. Monica and Shannon Brown divorced in 2019.

Awards and Nominations

Monica has received many awards and nominations throughout her career. She won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Boy Is Mine". She has also won a Billboard Music Award, a BET Award, and a Soul Train Music Award.

Discography

Studio albums

• Miss Thang (1995)
• The Boy Is Mine (1998)
• All Eyez on Me (2002)
• After the Storm (2003)
• The Makings of Me (2006)
• Still Standing (2010)
• New Life (2012)
• Code Red (2015)
• MDA (2024)
• Open Road (2024)

Filmography

Monica has appeared in several films and television shows.

Film

Television

Images for kids

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  Monica performing at the DC Black Pride in 2007

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  Monica performing in 2014

See also

In Spanish: Monica (cantante) para niños