There is a quiet satisfaction in finally seeing Victoria Monét command the main stage. For years the Atlanta-born singer has been pop music’s worst kept secret. Her work in the shadows has spawned some of the most ubiquitous radio hits of the last decade. To name a few; Ariana Grande‘s Thank U Next and Fifth Harmony‘s Work From Home, all created while quietly releasing exceptional under-appreciated solo projects on her own terms. Her clean sweep at the 2024 Grammy Awards was less of a surprise but much closer to a long-overdue reckoning.

Naturally the stakes change when you switch from writer to the star in the spotlight. Following up a breakthrough record is always a difficult tightrope to walk. There are two options; one, to repeat the formula that finally got everyone paying attention or two pivot wildly and try on every genre. On her sprawling 22-track LP Frequency Of Love, Monét proves that there is a third option. She doesn’t reinvent her identity but instead expands it on what is an undeniably rich record.

Working alongside creative partner Camper Monét strips away the rigid polish that turns so much contemporary R&B into background noise. Instead, Frequency Of Love is built on analogue soul. From the instrumental arrangements to the obsessive stacking of vocal harmonies, this album was clearly built by a diva who appreciates the finer details. This is evident on Reach Out, a shimmering house groove co-produced by Kaytranada and D’Mile. This pre-release single already hinted at an appetite for movement beyond slow-jam tempos. Crucially though, it feels authentic and not geared towards chasing playlist algorithms. The same mantra applies for the yacht-rock swing of Juicy and the classic slow-burning radio soul of Let Me. Both are tied together by production that feels warm and wonderfully unhurried.

At 22 tracks a project like this can risk the kind of fatigue that plagues modern streaming releases. That Frequency Of Love mostly avoids falling flat comes down to its structure. Designed to mimic a late-night radio dial the album uses short interludes to change songs. Care For Somebody, Money and the haunting Dark Side Of The Moon serve as natural palette cleansers to signal shifts in mood. Having breathers like this allow Monét to move effortlessly from sultry bedroom anthems to reflections on motherhood, self-worth and personal boundaries. Yet the record’s emotional anchor is tied to You Mean The World To Me. With collaborator Leon Thomas and a fleeting vocal cameo from Monét’s daughter, Hazel, it adds genuine depth to the project. 

While the guest list is vast in number, it’s handled with discipline. On paper, throwing SZA, Bruno Mars, Chlöe and Bryson Tiller into the mix looks like a calculated attempt to launch a commercial smash. In practice Monét stays in control of the room. Her duet with SZA on See You In My Dreams is perhaps the best example of this. The pairing of their stellar vocals and dreamy synths make for an easy highlight. Elsewhere the lush guitars of Bruno Mars duet That’s Why I Love You could be plucked from his latest album The Romantic. 

Yet the one key flaw here it sits in the sections where a run of mid-tempo tracks tread similar ground. A leaner edit of the record might have yielded a tighter masterpiece. Bryson Tiller collaboration Single aims for girlboss liberation but can feel oddly muted at times. Yet Frequency Of Love affirms the sound of an artist who no longer needs to ask for permission. It’s a confident body of work that proves Monét’s recent triumph was merely the opening chapter.