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Victoria Monét And BMAC Announce Music Maker Grant With $5,000 Award For Black Artists
Victoria Monét and the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) are collaborating to support emerging Black artists through their new Music Maker Grant.
The initiative, which will be formally announced on Wednesday (Jan. 31) at the organization’s Grammy Week Music Maker Dinner in Los Angeles, aims to provide $5,000 for economic empowerment and mentorship opportunities from Monét. It also follows previous partnerships with Audiomack, Terry Lewis, photographer Ernie Paniccioli, and Kobalt Music.
“We are honored to partner with Victoria Monét to uplift a young and deserving Black artist and help further their dreams within the music industry. Her story is one of resilience, and perseverance, and it is in that spirit we will continue to pay it forward,” CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers said in a press statement. “BMAC’s mission is to create a more equal playing field by breaking down barriers to entry for our community.”
BMAC co-founder Caron Veazey added, “Partnering with an iconic artist and role model like Victoria Monét through the Music Maker Grant will help us to impact a future star by setting them up on a path to success. We are looking forward to receiving the submissions and uncovering a deserving artist!”
Monét had an incredible run in 2023, especially after releasing her label debut album JAGUAR II. Spanning 11 tracks with features from Lucky Daye, Buju Banton, and her own daughter, the LP contained “On My Mama.” The record landed her first No. 1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
It was also nominated for the 2024 Grammy Awards, vying for Best R&B Song. She’s competing against Halle Bailey’s “Angel,” Coco Jone’s “ICU,” and SZA’s “Snooze.” Speaking to The New York Times about the category being all women this year, Monét said, “I think it’s kind of a reflection of where the world is at, in addition to the music industry. Because I think women are realizing their power, and the world is more in support of it, and we’re being more unapologetic and seeing the fruits of our labor.”
Additionally, Monét leads with six nods at the 2024 NAACP Image Awards. It’s scheduled to air on March 16.