"On My Mama" is a song by American singer-songwriter Victoria Monét from her debut major label album Jaguar II. It was released on June 16, 2023, as the third single from the album via Lovett Music and RCA Records. The song samples the 2009 song "I Look Good" by American rapper Chalie Boy. The song was produced by D'Mile, Jeff Gitelman and Deputy and co-written by them alongside Monét, Kyla with additional credits to Chalie Boy. The song became Monét's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 since her 2019 collaboration "Monopoly" with American singer Ariana Grande, entering at number 98 and peaking at number 33, becoming Monét's first top 40 hit.[3]
| "On My Mama" | ||||
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| Single by Victoria Monét | ||||
| from the album Jaguar II | ||||
| Released | June 16, 2023 | |||
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| Length | 3:07 | |||
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| Songwriter(s) |
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| Victoria Monét singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "On My Mama" on YouTube | ||||
The song and the music video received generally positive reviews. At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, it was nominated for Record of the Year and Best R&B Song. It also won Best Dance Performance and Video of the Year at the Soul Train Music Awards.
Background and lyrics
editMonét performed her first headlining show on March 31, 2023 at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. She included the at-the-time unreleased song in her set-list.[4] The concert was met with much praise by critics and fans. She later confirmed the song would be included on her upcoming album in various interviews.
She officially announced the song's release in a video on June 5, on her social media platforms. The video contained an audio snippet of the song, and featured American comedian Druski dancing.
In an interview with Apple Music, Monét revealed that she wrote the song while experiencing postpartum depression. She stated in the interview, "I feel like it's a mix between something that makes you wanna dance, but also something that speaks light into you... even if you just sing the lyrics, you're talking good about yourself which I think is important for people".[5]
The song "On My Mama" was sampled from the Chalie Boy's song "I look good". The song was released in 2009. This record was produced by Jason "JB Eazy" Braye.[6] The song quickly became a hit. It was played numerous times on huge radio stations and television. One of those channels being 106 & Park. The song got so popular that remixes quickly followed the release of the song. One of them features artists such as Young Thug, Juvenile, and Bun B. Many other songs have been sampled from Chalie Boy's. Songs such as "Back it up" by Saucy Santana and Lightskinkeisha (released 2020) and "They Be Like" by Wankaego (released 2014). The hit song has been a timeless hit and Monet took it upon herself to remind us of that.
Critical reception
editThe song received generally positive reviews. Laila Keaton of Intersect Magazine said, "This single is an unapologetic girl power track. Victoria Monét is confident and is proud to admit it... She has uniquely taken this sample and made it her own through her lyrical content while empowering her fans at the same time."[7] Anna Gaca of Pitchfork stated the song is "extremely fun".[8]
Accolades
edit| Organization | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soul Train Music Awards | 2023 | Song of the Year | Nominated | [9][10] |
| The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award | Nominated | |||
| Best Dance Performance | Won | |||
| Video of the Year | Won | |||
| Grammy Awards | 2024 | Record of the Year | Nominated | [11] |
| Best R&B Song | Nominated | |||
| NAACP Image Awards | 2024 | Outstanding Soul/R&B Song | Nominated | [12] |
| Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album | Nominated | |||
| iHeartRadio Music Awards | 2024 | R&B Song of the Year | Nominated | [13] |
Music video
editThe music video was directed by Child. Unlike her previous two singles, "Smoke" and "Party Girls" the video was not released simultaneously with the single. The video premiered on August 15, 2023, almost two months after the song was released and was choreographed by Sean Bankhead, who previously choreographed "Party Girls". It became Monét's fastest video to garner 1 million views.[14]
The video was praised for its complex choreography and multiple references from the culture of the early 2000s. At the beginning of the video, Monét is dressed in a cropped, red, leather jacket with a red breast plate, baggy low-rise jeans, and a red Los Angeles Dodgers cap which paid homage to the singer & dancer Ciara. She is also seen wearing a light blue jersey dress which referenced the singer & dancer Mya. It also featured references to the fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi and sorority Delta Sigma Theta.[15] Monét sports a plethora of Y2k inspired outfits. The video featured a cameo appearance by Chalie Boy, who is the rapper behind the song's interpolation. It also features Monét's real life mother L'Tanya Chestang-Cubit and her daughter Hazel Monét Gaines.
Reception
editKyle Denis of Billboard called the video an "absolute winner" and regarded the video "a nuanced, heartfelt tribute to 2000s Southern Black culture".[16] Clash magazine writer Robin Murray felt that the video "is an explosive offering, highlighting Millennial R&B’s stretch and ambition".[1] Larisha Paul of Rolling Stone called the choreography "slick". Paul also wrote, "This era is all about embracing that power unapologetically".[2]
Credits and personnel
edit- Victoria Monét – vocals, songwriting, composition
- Charles Williams (Chalie Boy) – vocals, songwriting
- Kyla Moscovich – instrumentation, songwriting, composition
- Dernst Emile II (D'Mile) – production, songwriting, composition
- Jeff Gitelman – production, songwriting, composition
- Jamil Pierre (Deputy) – production, songwriting, composition
- Colin Leonard – mastering
- Dale Becker – assistant mastering
- Patrizio Pigliapoco – mix engineering
- Todd Robinson – record engineering
- Katie Harvey – assistant engineering
Charts
edit| Chart (2023–2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[17] | 16 |
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[18] | 35 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[3] | 33 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[19] | 12 |
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[20] | 1 |
| US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[21] | 16 |
| US Rhythmic (Billboard)[22] | 1 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[23] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[24] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ a b Murray, Robin (August 15, 2023). "Victoria Monét Brings Those Millennial Vibes With 'On My Mama' | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Paul, Larisha (August 15, 2023). "Victoria Monét Is Done Being the Humble Type in Masterful 'On My Mama' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ a b "Victoria Monet Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ "Victoria Monét Live Debut at El Rey Theatre". The Scenestar. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Victoria Monét: 'JAGUAR II', Tour & "On My Mama" | Apple Music, retrieved September 7, 2023
- ^ "When did Chalie Boy's first album release?". Genius. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- ^ Keaton, Laila (June 21, 2023). "In Review: Victoria Monét's "On my Mama"". Intersect Magazine. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "Victoria Monét: Jaguar II". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Abraham, Mya (November 1, 2023). "SZA, Usher, And Summer Walker Lead 2023 Soul Train Award Nominations". Vibe. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
- ^ Tinoco, Armando (November 27, 2023). "Soul Train Awards 2023 Complete Winners List: SZA Leads Night With Usher & Victoria Monét Also Taking Trophies". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
- ^ Grein, Paul (January 25, 2024). "Usher, Victoria Monét Score in 2024 NAACP Image Awards Nods: Here Are All Music Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ Grein, Paul (January 18, 2024). "Taylor Swift Leads 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards Nods, With Jelly Roll, 21 Savage & SZA Close Behind: Full List". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "Victoria Monét - On My Mama (Official Video)". Retrieved September 7, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ Victoria Monét's Awesome 'On My Mama' Video References, retrieved September 7, 2023
- ^ Denis, Kyle (August 15, 2023). "Victoria Monét's New 'On My Mama' Music Video Tributes '00s Southern Black Culture: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of February 14, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved February 14, 2024.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Victoria Monet Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ "Victoria Monet Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
- ^ "Victoria Monet Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
- ^ "Victoria Monet Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Victoria Monét – On My Mama". Music Canada. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ "American single certifications – Victoria Monét – On My Mama". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 8, 2024.