Legendary 90s RnB singer, 43, has barely aged a day 26 years after number 1 smash, tragic lover’s suicide and three kids
GRAMMY-award winning American singer-songwriter Monica Arnold, appears to have found the elixir of eternal youth in new fabulous Disney World snaps.
The nineties R&B icon had a fun day out last month with friends and family in the popular amusement destination Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
The Georgia-born singer, 43, best known for her Brandy duet The Boy Is Mine, posted gorgeous pics on Instagram of her latest adventure to Disney World in Orlando, Florida last month.
In the pics, the Billboard-award winner who graced numerous classic R&B and pop hit songs of the 90s and 00s, can be seen enjoying Disney’s Dash & Dodge roller-coaster with her friends and family.
The ageless singer soaked up the sun with her blonde waves – no longer sporting her signature 90s pixie cut hairstyle music lovers initially knew her when she launched her career back in 1991.
Fans stormed the comment section of the Don’t Take It Personal singer’s social media accounts to comment on her luminous appearance in the pics.
One fan wrote in her Instagram comment section: “You look so pretty! I thought this picture was your daughter!”
Another fan chimed in with the comment: “You do not age! You look the same [since 90s fame]! You’re like fine wine that gets better with age! Love that you’re making memories for them [her kids].”
The Atlanta-based songstress responded to the fan, and replied: “Thank you! Gotta make memories with them!”
Monica took some much needed downtime from recording music and touring, which she has consistently done since she launched her career over 30 years ago.
Her body of work includes hit songs such as Angel of Mine, So Gone and, of course, her global number 1 smash with chart rival, singer Brandy, 45.
MONICA’S EARLY BEGINNINGS
Monica was born and raised in College Park, Georgia and began singing at the age of 4, and eventually joined a travelling gospel choir at the age of 10.
In 1993, Monica signed a record deal with pop tycoons TLC and Madonna’s record producer, Dallas Austin, 53, who had been looking for a promising new talent to launch his label, Rowdy Records.
She gained prominence following the release of her debut studio album, Miss Thang, which was released in 1995 when she was just 14-year-old.
Miss Thang was a runaway success, selling an estimated 4 million units worldwide, and producing hit singles Don’t Take It Personal, Before You Walk Out of My Life and Why I Love You So Much.
She would follow up this success with her sophomore effort The Boy Is Mine, named after the hit single, which to this day, sold 16 million singles worldwide.
The R&B superstar released 5 albums since then: 2002’s All Eyez On Me, 2003’s After the Storm, 2006’s The Makings of Me, 2010’s Still Standing, 2012’s New Life and 2015’s Code Red.
She’s also ventured into the acting world, with TV roles in sitcom Living Single back in 1996 and a film role in 2000 comedy film Boys and Girls.
In 2010, Billboard magazine listed Monica at number 24 on its list of the Top 50 R&B and Hip Hop Artists of the past 25 years.
Monica has sold over 25 million records worldwide.
BRANDY AND MONICA ‘RIVALRY’
The four-time Grammy-nominee, won her first and only Grammy-award for Best R&B performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for her duet with Brandy, back in 1999.
Initially, the then teen-stars teamed teamed together to record the song, in an effort to diffuse any conversations around a music rivalry.
It had even been rumoured that an alleged verbal fight turned into a physical one between the two young stars, backstage at the 1998 VMA’s.
The singers never spoke directly about the alleged incident, but spent many years speaking of each other publicly in the press.
However, they reunited in 2012 to but any perceived animosity aside, to record their second duet called It All Belongs To Me.
The singers bonded during the singles promotional run, often laughing and making positive comments towards each other in interviews.
That same year, the two supported each other through the loss of their shared mentor, the late pop queen Whitney Houston.
In 2020, the R&B starlets broke the internet when they both participated in now viral Verzuz battle, where they took turns to play their beloved hit songs to the delight of fans.
Their timeless duet, The Boy Is Mine is both Brandy and Monica’s highest streamed song on Spotify, with an astounding 234 million streams.
MONICA’S HIGHS AND LOWS
Monica has three children, including two sons, Rodney, 18 and Romelo, 16, with former boyfriend rapper and producer Rodney Ramone Hill Jr, 44.
She also has a 10-year-old daughter, Laiyah Shannon with ex-husband, professional basketball player Shannon Brown.
The R&B crooner met Rodney Ramone shortly after the suicide of her boyfriend Jarvin Weems.
She credits Rodney for helping her heal after experiencing severe trauma back in 2000, from watching Jarvis commit suicide using a gun in front of her at the grave site of Jarvis’s brother.
The singer channelled the sudden loss into critically-acclaimed album After The Storm in 2003.
Monica and Rodney became engaged in 2007, before splitting in early 2010.
In June 2010, she met NBA player Shannon Brown in a quest to cast a love interest for her 2010 song Love All Over Me.
In October 2010, she announced their engagement on X formerly known as Twitter. The two got married in a secret ceremony at their LA-home November of that same year.
They divorced after almost a decade together, in October 2019.
CURRENT PLANS
The So Gone singer released the single Letters, last year in June.
She also collaborated with rap queen Nicki Minaj, 41, and fellow R&B singer Keisha Cole, 42, on the song Love Me Enough that same year.
Monica is currently on the US leg Nicki’s Pink Friday 2 World Tour, which will be arriving in the UK at the end of this month, including a stop May 28th at the London’s 02 arena.
In October 2023, news about Monica dating TV executive producer Anthony Wilson became public.
Last month For You I Will singer opened up about the new relationship to blog HelloBeautiful.
She said: “I’m enjoying being supported and loved in a way that allows me to be a lot softer than I typically am.”
