Victoria Monét is a Visionary in “Alright” Music Video
Victoria Monét takes us on a gorgeous trip in her music video for “Alright.” Directed by seasoned music video director Dave Meyers, “Alright” is a depiction of true artistry beyond just being “pretty.” The music video, released on June 10, is a blend of proper direction, choreography, and artistry.
Jaguar II’s Success
“Alright” is a single from Victoria’s 2023 album, Jaguar II. The album has made Monét a household name after years of being more underrated. “On My Mama” saw her first #1 on the Billboard and became an anthem of affirmation. According to Victoria in Cosmopolitan, “It feels like a positive affirmation song to me.” This mindset sets the tone for the whole album, as “Alright” is a similar song.
This album’s success went on to earn her seven Grammy nominations and three wins for “Best New Artist,” “Best R&B Album,” and “Best Non-classical Engineered Album.” This comes after career setbacks Victoria had faced, such as not being invited to perform on the MTV Video Music Awards due to the producers telling her it was “too early in her story.” Despite being in the industry and co-writing for artists such as Ariana Grande along with creating her own music for over a decade, Jaguar II finally saw the success she has worked so hard for.
Confidence is Sexy
Sitting at an impressive 3.1 million views at this time, “Alright” is her eighth-highest-viewed video on her YouTube channel. The sexy R&B song is an empowerment anthem, with lyrics representing women who don’t need a man. It’s about living life without needing male validation. These lyrics stand out more due to Victoria saying lines like “’Bout to leave his text on read / I’ma let him know that I read it” because she isn’t just saying she doesn’t need male validation, but that said men need her validation as well.
The song oozes power from her being confident in her self-worth. Similar to “On My Mama,” arguably the most favored song from Jaguar II, she emphasizes how confident she is in who she is and her success. Victoria’s soft vocals along with the beat make for a catchy song to dance to in the club. KAYTRANADA, who had a hand in writing and producing the music, uses his specialty in EDM by giving Victoria’s tone the backing of heavy funk, R&B, and soul. Rather than a high-energy pop song, it is slower and sexier by pairing an alto tone from Monét with said beats. Just as the lyrics say, it makes you feel like life is alright.
Dance and Visuals, All in One
The first note of this music video is the innovative and sensual choreography from famous choreographer Sean Bankhead. While Sean and Victoria are no strangers to executing state-of-the-art dance compositions, especially from their shared success on “On My Mama,” this choreography is a new look for Victoria to match the imagery. Sean synchronized the visuals to the dance, with each dance sequence completely different from the next, but still flowed. We get a taste of various styles from contemporary, voguing, and the many dance styles of Michael Jackson.
Victoria has been a part of the huge rise of ballroom that we’ve seen recently and has been in attendance at balls herself. Madina Beisekeyeva, a staple in the ballroom dance scene, was the visionary behind the hand choreography. With this music video being released in Pride month, it is a nice shout-out to Victoria’s LGBTQ+ audience. While visuals may be a huge part of this video, the impressive aspect of Sean’s vision is hard to miss.
Paying Homage to the King and Queen of Pop
The visuals of this music are stunning and prove Victoria’s musical and visual versatility. The clothing pieces are simple yet flattering, with Monét giving us futuristic, neutral, and Michael Jackson-esque. The Michael Jackson imagery is the perfect homage to the King of Pop, from clothing to dance to how Dave Myers directed the scene. Monét’s styling is a direct adaptation of Michael Jackson’s quintessential suit and wide-brim fedora that he wore in videos and performances such as “Billie Jean” or “You Rock My World.” The suit she wears has a reflective material that shines in the spotlight which could be compared to Michael Jackson’s performance of “Billie Jean” at Motown 25 in 1983 where he danced in a spotlight in a shiny jacket. This performance was one of his most memorable, with it being the show where Michael debuted the moonwalk.
Along with his style, Sean’s choreography utilizes Jackson’s familiar locking, popping, and smooth moves. Not only does Victoria pull from Michael, but his sister Janet as well. Janet’s 1990 classic music video was also titled “Alright,” and like Janet, Victoria also wears the famous suit and hat combo. However, though the name and outfit are similar, it’s a fun note that Janet’s music video and Victoria’s are complete opposites. Victoria gives a sensual song and dance with minimal background characters, whereas Janet does the classic music video with quirky antics and many background characters.
Victoria shines in each cut with a darker, more muted tone of dark blues with a dash of sparkle and silver tones. With the spotlights shining directly on her, the entire visual makeup of the video commands you to be entranced by the dance, song, and Victoria’s gorgeous visuals.
While Victoria always gives us something new each time she releases new music, this music video speaks to her inventiveness as an artist. Victoria and Sean continue to show their fans how much they love their craft. The duo hosted and taught a masterclass of “Alright” to 150 fans in LA. After the popular choreography tutorial from “On My Mama,” this class was another fun way for fans to enjoy the choreography themselves.
You can keep up with Victoria’s music and the behind-the-scenes of her life on TikTok, Instagram, X, and Spotify.
Want to read more coverage of Black Artists making waves in music? Dig into our recap of Rapsody’s album Please Don’t Cry here.
