Victoria Monét explores emotional healing, sensuality and vulnerability on Frequency of Love, her second full-length studio album. While the Grammy-winning singer delivers moments of genuine warmth and intimacy, the project’s restrained production and lengthy tracklist sometimes leave its most compelling ideas buried beneath repetitive arrangements.

The album follows Jaguar II, Monét’s 2023 breakthrough record, which expanded on the sound she introduced with her 2020 Jaguar EP. The infectious single “On My Mama” became her first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 33, while the project earned her three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist. Before her rise as a solo star, Monét had spent years writing songs for Ariana Grande, contributing to tracks ranging from “Let Me Love You” to “34+35.”

Rather than immediately following up on the success of Jaguar II, Monét took time to explore other interests, including culinary school, tai chi and sound-based wellness practices. Those experiences helped shape Frequency of Love, which centres on tenderness, tranquillity and emotional openness.

However, the album’s dedication to serenity occasionally works against it. The stylistic variety of Jaguar II—from the Buju Banton-assisted dancehall track “Party Girls” to the West Coast-inspired groove of “Cadillac (A Pimp’s Anthem)”—gives way to a more subdued approach. Across a tracklist longer than the two Jaguar projects combined, similar tempos and minimal production often blend into an extended, relaxing soundscape that struggles to hold attention.

Searching for emotional connection

Following her split from Josh Gaines, Monét approaches romance with a renewed emphasis on honesty and vulnerability. Most of Frequency of Love moves at a measured pace, rarely exceeding 100 beats per minute, allowing its sensual atmosphere to take precedence over rhythmic intensity.

“Say Dat” is built around Monét’s voice and deep marimba tones, creating an arrangement that feels closer to a lullaby than a conventional R&B track. She sings about making herself emotionally available to someone new while encouraging that person to communicate openly in return.

A similar message runs through the lead single “Let Me,” where Monét presents herself as someone ready for a relationship built on mutual understanding. Her lyrics suggest that finding love is less about pursuing excitement and more about meeting someone willing to be equally vulnerable.

Her playful writing provides welcome relief from the album’s earnestness. On “Almost,” she jokes about the orgasm gap, while “Head To Toe” uses clever wordplay to connect food and physical attraction. In “Let Me,” she also pokes fun at a romantic interest who knows how to avoid confronting difficult emotions.

These moments demonstrate Monét’s ability to balance sensuality with humour. Still, her sharp lyrics cannot always compensate for the production’s limited variation, raising questions about where the infectious energy of her earlier Jaguar releases has gone.

Familiar formulas limit the album’s momentum

Even when the music becomes more upbeat, Frequency of Love often revisits ideas Monét has explored before.

“Juicy” recalls the lighthearted funk of her earlier single “Coastin’” and shares a sample from Tamia’s 1998 song “So Into You” with Sabrina Carpenter’s “Bed Chem.” Although the track captures a familiar sense of romantic anticipation, it does little to distinguish itself from those musical predecessors.

“Reach Out,” another collaboration with Kaytranada, offers one of the album’s more danceable moments. Yet it feels less memorable than Monét’s previous dance-pop releases, including “Alright” and “Experience.” Its relatively energetic sound also highlights the restrained pace that dominates much of the record.

The interludes add to the album’s length without always advancing its overall direction. “Care For Somebody (Interlude)” features grand, almost festive instrumentation, while “I Want You (Interlude)” adopts a radio-inspired sound and incorporates a pitched-up interpolation of the Beatles’ “Michelle.”

Although these passages introduce different textures, they do not consistently create the sense of progression the album needs.

A stronger sound emerges in the second half

The record becomes more compelling when Monét moves beyond its prevailing softness. “You Hurt Me Too” begins with piano before introducing distorted 808s, strings and harp. Its darker atmosphere recalls Portishead and provides a striking contrast to the subdued arrangements that precede it.

“See You In My Dreams,” featuring SZA, follows with a steady bass-driven groove. The singers’ layered vocals blend naturally, creating one of the album’s richer sonic moments. At times, however, the track feels closer to SZA’s own musical style than Monét’s, making the collaboration less distinctive than it might otherwise have been.

Bruno Mars appears on “That’s Why I Love You,” which introduces another unexpected shift through Spanish-inspired instrumentation. Crisp acoustic guitar and confident percussion give the song a different character, while the performers’ easy chemistry makes the pairing feel natural. The collaboration follows a summer in which Monét opened for Mars during the European leg of his Romantics tour.

These songs demonstrate how effectively the album can change direction without abandoning its central themes. More frequent shifts in rhythm, instrumentation and mood could have made the project considerably more engaging.

Motherhood gives the album its emotional depth

Family remains central to Monét’s creative life. Her daughter, Hazel, contributes vocals and ad-libs to “Come Back To You” and “You Mean The World To Me,” the latter featuring Leon Thomas.

Both songs reveal the personal sacrifices involved in balancing motherhood with a demanding music career. Rather than presenting success as an individual achievement, Monét connects her professional ambitions to the love and responsibility she feels towards her daughter.

In “Come Back To You,” Hazel’s words, “I miss you,” are answered by Monét’s reassurance that she will always return. A fuzzy guitar solo emerges from the piano-led arrangement, adding emotional weight to the song.

“You Mean The World To Me” expands on that devotion, linking her love for Hazel to a broader desire to make the world a better place. These moments are among the album’s most affecting because they ground its themes of love and healing in specific, deeply personal experiences.

A promising album that needs greater focus

Monét’s smooth vocals, inventive wordplay and layered harmonies remain compelling throughout Frequency of Love. The album contains several songs that reveal a more intimate and emotionally complex side of the singer.

However, too much of the project fades from memory shortly after it ends. Its repetitive arrangements and sprawling tracklist dilute the impact of its strongest material, leaving the most distinctive moments scattered across an album that rarely sustains its momentum.

A shorter, more varied collection could have preserved the record’s tenderness while allowing its best songs to make a stronger impression. Ultimately, Frequency of Love is most successful when Monét draws directly from her personal experiences, particularly her relationship with Hazel and her willingness to embrace vulnerability.

Those moments point towards a compelling artistic direction, even if the album’s commitment to tranquillity sometimes prevents it from reaching its full potential.