Brandy and Monica are reuniting again for a special project that fans of both singers did not expect.
The R&B artists are featured on a remix of Ariana Grande’s song “The Boy Is Mine” from her latest album, “Eternal Sunshine.” The 13-track project is Grande’s seventh studio album, which she released in March. The pop superstar announced the collaboration on her Instagram page on Monday with the caption, “I……… cannot believe this is real (I don’t know if I will even long after it’s out).”
Grande added, “This is in celebration of you both and the impact you have had on every vocalist, vocal producer, musician, artist that is creating today.”
Brandy and Monica joining forces with Grande serves as a full-circle moment for the former rivals. In 1998, they collaborated on a single called “The Boy Is Mine” that reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. As the pair sang about two women competing for a man’s attention, the perceived competition turned into a real-life feud between the artists.
Why Were Monica and Brandy Feuding?
When the song debuted in the late 90’s, rumors circulated that both artists disliked each other. However, in a past interview with HuffPost Live, Monica revealed there was no feud when the song was initially released.
The “Angel of Mine” artist also shared that she and Brandy played into the rivalry’s dramatics from a marketing perspective. However, going along with the perceived rivalry that outsiders created eventually led to a divide between both performers. Ultimately, that rift followed them throughout their careers.
The tension lasted for years, even after they released another duet together in 2012 called “It All Belongs To Me.” Despite joining forces for another project, the perception of Brandy and Monica’s “feud” still existed. It wasn’t until 2020 that they both participated in a Versuz battle, and viewers could see their growth.
What Ended The Tension?
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Monica explained how the tensions divided them as artists and their fans.
“It gets a little bit frustrating for both she and I when it becomes, ‘No, I like her better. Well, I like her better,'” Monica said.
The fabricated beef overshadowed the song’s success. It could do the same for the song’s legacy. Monica says she no longer finds it interesting to engage in the drama.
She added, “Hopefully, we can help some of the younger artists avoid doing the same thing because we did a whole lot more together than we did apart.”
More than 26 years later, the two are teaming up again.
Grande released “The Boy Is Mine” remix Friday. Hopefully it will allow others to put the “feud” in their rearview like Monica and Brandy.