Monica Age, Height, Ex-Husband & Biography

Monica is an American singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as a teenager in the 1990s and became one of the best-selling R&B artists of her generation. Born in Georgia in 1980, she released her debut album, Miss Thang, at the age of 14 and went on to top the charts with the duet The Boy Is Mine, recorded with Brandy, which spent 13 weeks at number one in the United States.

Quick Facts

Who Is Monica?

Monica is an American singer and actress known for her powerful voice and her long career in R&B. She is best known for the songs Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days), The Boy Is Mine, Angel of Mine and So Gone, and she has won a Grammy Award. She has sold millions of records worldwide and has also acted in films and on television.

Monica has been a fixture of R&B since the mid-1990s, when she became one of the youngest artists ever to top the charts. She has continued to record and tour, and she has appeared in films including Boys and Girls in 2000 and Pastor Brown in 2009. She is the mother of three children.

Early Life & Background

Monica was born Monica Denise Arnold on 24 October 1980 in College Park, Georgia. She grew up singing in her church choir and in a travelling gospel choir, and she was discovered by the record producer Dallas Austin at the age of 11. She signed to his label Rowdy Records at the age of 13 and began recording her debut album.

Her debut album, Miss Thang, was released in 1995, when she was 14 years old. The album featured the singles Don’t Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days) and Before You Walk Out of My Life, both of which topped the R&B chart, making her the youngest artist ever to have two number-one R&B singles. The album went on to sell millions of copies.

Career

Monica’s second album, The Boy Is Mine, was released in 1998 and became her biggest-selling album. It featured the duet The Boy Is Mine with Brandy, which spent 13 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1999. The album also featured the single Angel of Mine, which also reached number one.

She followed The Boy Is Mine with After the Storm in 2003, featuring the hits So Gone and U Should’ve Known Better, and The Makings of Me in 2006. Her 2010 album, Still Standing, featured the single Everything to Me and was accompanied by the reality television series Monica: Still Standing, which followed her return to music.

Monica released Code Red in 2015 and has continued to record and tour, collaborating with younger artists and releasing singles. In 2020 she released Trenches featuring Lil Baby, and she has remained a respected voice in R&B, appearing on television and in concert. She was married to the basketball player Shannon Brown from 2010 to 2019, and she is the mother of three children.

Facts About Monica

• She was discovered by the record producer Dallas Austin at the age of 11.
• She was the youngest artist ever to have two number-one R&B singles, at the age of 14.
• The Boy Is Mine spent 13 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
• She won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1999.
• Her 2010 album Still Standing was accompanied by the reality series Monica: Still Standing.

Frequently Asked Questions