Monica’s Long-Awaited New Album Is Finished
The R&B legend is finally ready to take us through the ‘Trenches‘
R&B veteran Monica shared recently that she has put the finishing touches on her ninth studio album now named, Trenches.
The album, originally titled Chapter 38, was expected for release more than a year ago. The mother of three made history with fellow R&B singer, Brandy during their Verzuz: Battle of The Queens on August 31, 2020, at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, GA. Monica released the new album’s title track during that Verzuz event.
The R&B star shared with ABC Audio about the album’s delay, “It started off as Chapter 38, and now I am 40, so that lets you know how long the album’s been taking. But real life kept happening. I tell people all the time, my family comes first. My family comes before anything, and if you think back to after I gave birth, the second time I took four years off.”
“In spite of all of it, I found a way to finish the album. It is finished. We are mixing and mastering and getting all the clearances done!” – Monica, to ABC Audio
Monica continued working on Trenches until the passing of her favorite uncle, Larry.
“Real life kept happening. Once I lost my uncle, I really was not interested in doing anything for quite some time other than just being there for my mom, for my aunts and uncles,” Monica shared. “We’re a close-knit family. We come from the country. We put God and family first before any and everything, and by the time I would deal with one blow then another one would come and another one would come.”
The new album will feature production from The Neptunes— Pharrell [Williams] and Chad [Hugo], as well as her longtime collaborator, Missy Elliot.
Monica is also the host of the new crime show, Infamy: When Fame Turns Deadly which airs on Monday nights at 10/9c on @VH1