Victoria Monét has come to save summer.
Late Monday night, the Grammy winner finally released the video for her latest single, “Alright.” The sultry club banger, produced by Kaytranada, has been in daily rotation for this writer since Monét released her debut album, Jaguar II, last summer.
In the visual, Monét—with the help of choreographer Sean Bankhead and director Dave Meyers—pays homage to some of the most recognizable moments in music video history. She sports a pinstripe suit and matching fedora in portions of it, in homage to Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” and toward the video’s end, she struts with her crew of dancers in the rain, bringing to mind Beyoncé’s debut solo single, “Crazy in Love.” In a teaser shared earlier on Monday, Monét also referenced Jackson’s “Thriller” by showcasing the song’s title on a vintage theater marquee and sporting a letterman jacket monogrammed with her first initial, as Jackson does in the opening of his video.
Monét announced that a video for “Alright” was on the way during her live set at this year’s Coachella music festival, after fans campaigned for months for her to release the track as a single.
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Last year, ahead of the release of Jaguar II, Monét dug into her creative process as a songwriter in a conversation with Harper’s Bazaar.
“When I’m describing things or when lyrics come, they’re not planned. Like, I almost feel like they’re gifts,” she told us. “Ideas are really just floating in the air, and you have to grab it—you have to grasp them and, like, use them.”
The star applies that same ethos when it comes to creating her videos and tour visuals, as well.
“We’re very specific with what directors we want to use, what style we’re going for—lot of references, mood boards, color palettes,” she continued. “The Taurus in me is very, like, ‘But, no, I already see it how I see it.’ I just have to be open once I invite directors to collaborate or, you know, reach out to other people, just being open to how they see it as well.”
Monét’s meticulous approach has paid off, of course. In February, she took home three Grammy Awards for Jaguar II, including Best Engineered Album, Best R&B Album, and Best New Artist.
