NEW YORK,NY (J Records) - After a life-changing - and life-affirming - two-year break, Atlanta's Grammy Award-winning, 10 million-selling J Records artist
Monica has completed her eagerly anticipated fourth album, THE MAKINGS OF ME, set for release on
September 19th. The new album is the follow-up to 2003's platinum-plus After the
Storm and heralds the return of one of pop and R&B music's most consistent chart-topping songstress. "I've watched Monica, now 24, develop and grow since she was 14," states Clive Davis, Chairman and CEO, BMG U.S. "She's now at the absolute peak of her career. Her new album has at least four or five hot singles and she's setting new styles as a cutting edge trendmaker for the industry."
Kicking off the release of THE MAKINGS OF ME is the first single, "Everytime Tha Beat Drop," a hometown production featuring Atlanta favorites Dem Franchize Boyz, produced by Jermaine Dupri. "'Beat Drop' is a real good representation of where I'm from," Monica says of the dance floor-friendly first single pick. "We all just want to dance and have fun." The video, directed by Ray Kay, vividly captures the multi-talented superstar doing just that - dancing and having fun - alongside Jermaine Dupri and Dem Franchize Boyz. Always recognized for being stylish and trendy, Monica sets the high-energy tone in this video and presents a clear indication of what will be another reign at the top of the charts with the release of THE MAKINGS OF ME.
THE MAKINGS OF ME will engage Monica's fans to think about real-life issues in a way that she has never asked them to before. "Everytime Tha Beat Drop" is one of three tracks produced by Dupri for the new album, along with "Why Her" and "Get Away," an autobiographical coming-of-age ballad inspired by the changes - public and private - she was forced to endure. "Sideline Ho," which deals in a graphic, forthright manner with an ex-boyfriend's cheating, was produced by Damon [Thomas] & Harvey [Mason Jr.], who also produced "My Every thing." Monica matches Twista - the world's fastest rapper according to the Guinness Book of Records - zip-for-zip on "Hell No" (produced by Bryan Michael-Cox). "Thanks for Tha Misery" was produced by Sean Garrett & Dent and Harold Lilly produced "Raw." Also, in the production seat again with Monica is Missy Elliot on "A Dozen Roses," "Gotta Move On" and the earthy love song, "Doin' Me Right."
At the tender age of 14, Monica raised the bar for female singers when she became the youngest female artist in history to have two consecutive No 1 hits on the Billboard R&B chart with her debut single "Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)," followed by "Before You Walk Out of My Life" from her debut album Miss Thang. Monica's 1999 sophomore release, The Boy Is Mine, scored double-platinum status on the strength of three No 1 R&B and pop hit singles spanning a year on the charts: "Angel of Mine," "The First Night" and the Grammy-winning "The Boy is Mine," her double-platinum duet with Brandy. After a brief hiatus, Monica returned in 2003 with her third platinum driven release, After The Storm, which spawned the No 1 R&B/Dance/Pop crossover "So Gone" and its follow-ups, "Knock Knock" and "U Should've Known Better." The recipient of top honors throughout her career, including American Music Awards, Billboard and Soul Train, Monica continues to remain relevant in a forever changing musical climate.
