The Knockturnal caught up with the New Jersey native to discuss everything related to their debut album, ‘Enjoy the Ride,’ their relationship with fans, and their creative processes.
Victoria Monet took over Atlanta Tuesday night at the Buckhead Theatre, where she performed on her first, official headlining tour, The Jaguar Tour. On Aug. 25, the singer-songwriter released her debut studio album Jaguar II, the sequel to her 2020 EP Jaguar.
The Jaguar Tour kicked off Sep. 6 in Detroit and quickly made its way through the northeast until landing in her birth city of Atlanta. They packed the venue at every corner with fans dressed in Victoria’s signature brown hue. Once she opened the show with “Moment,” we were in for a legendary night.
The audience belted out every word as she danced along with her backup dancers to “Coastin’”, “FUCK” and “Jaguar” in a sheer brown two-piece embellished with crystals.
As she transitioned into “Party Girls” featuring Jamaican Dancehall artist Buju Banton, the audience could hear the familiar melody of Beyonce’s “Baby Boy” featuring Sean Paul intertwined with the track; a nod to one of her biggest inspirations.
Highlights from the night included her entrance during “Cadillac,” decked out in a bedazzled Zoot Suit and a fedora. Her signature dance break to Trillville’s “Some Cut” sparked a viral online dance challenge last year. Last, she couldn’t end the night without performing the standout track “On My Mama,” a song with a nostalgic early 2000s vibe and a heavy mix of R&B and Hip-Hop. The song samples Chalie Boy’s 2009 hit single “I Look Good.”
Victoria Monet by Chanel Moye
Later, it was revealed that the VMAs felt it was “too early” for the Grammy-nominated artist to make her debut on their stage.
This isn’t the first time fans have had to work overtime to give their favorite artist the (rightful) recognition they deserve. Fans pressured MTV into allowing Normani to perform at the 2021 VMAs after they discovered they did not invite her to sing her new single “Wild Side” featuring Cardi B.
Following her highly expected single “Motivation” and a messy split from the popular girl group Fifth Harmony, they set Normani to make her debut as a solo artist. Her 2019 VMA performance of the song was one of the best of the year, and naturally, expectations for what would come next were high.
So, when she and the eclectic rapper joined forces to release their chart-topping collaboration “Wild Side”, it surprised fans that the VMAs didn’t extend an invitation for her to perform, especially considering the waves the music video made online. However, MTV’s apparent snub left fans questioning the network’s influence in today’s music industry landscape.
There was a point when performing at the Video Music Awards was a pivotal moment in an artist’s career. Now, we aren’t so sure. There is something to be said about MTV’s long-standing culture of excluding black artists, but that’s a conversation for another day.
While MTV was undermining her star power, she was preparing to embark on a sold-out tour. For the next three months, The Jaguar Tour will hit 22 cities across North America before ending in London on Nov. 15.
Amidst all the excitement around Jaguar II, the song was most excited to see Victoria perform on tour, is “Stop (Asking Me 4Shyt).” It is truly one of a kind and was the fan favorite of the night as the crows sang every word.
“Stop askin’ me for money, get your own
I barely even just got on
Do I look like a tree to you? Well, leaf me alone if I do”
…
“I need you to stop, askin’ me for shit Ooh, I put this on in case you forget”
As the show concluded, eager fans quickly exited the theater to glimpse the next spectacle: the massive billboard towering over the Buckhead Theatre. There, Victoria Monét lays in a seductive pose, clad in an all-black catsuit, and beneath her image, in bold letters, the sign proudly announces “SOLD OUT” with “Victoria Monét’s The Jaguar Tour” written below.
Shortly after the pre-release Up Late, Korean artist GEMINI released his latest EP, Love Sick, on September 22. It is now available on major music platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Melon, YouTube, and other streaming services, or you can buy your own physical album here!
The Ned NoMad, the members club and hotel in the heart of NYC’s NoMad district, led by global hospitality leader Richie Akiva has continued to dominate New York Fashion Week. From the Christian Siriano NYFW party to Gucci‘s private bash in Little Ned, Flaunt‘s annual fete, and many more, a sea of fashion notables and celebrities have been a nonstop rotation at The Ned.
Flaunt hosted their annual Fashion Week bash at The Ned Nomad on Sunday, September 10th, celebrating their Eternal Flame issue hosted y Richie Akiva and YG with MIMCHIK. Diplo performed a surprise DJ set and there was a live performance for a packed members club of guests by YG. DJ sets in the atrium included Hank K, Vvarhala, Annicka and Siobhan Bell. The room was filled with celebrity notables, music artists and current IT girls, such as Doja Cat, Ice Spice, Quavo, Alton Mason, Emma Roberts, Meek Mill, Jordan Clarkson, Chantel Jeffries, Badius, Kendra Bailey, Jordan Barrett, Yovanna Ventura, and many more industry notables. The party buzzed on until 4am.
On September 8th, Christian Siriano hosted his official fashion show after party at Akiva’s The Ned, kicking off at 9pm until 1am in the Members Lounge and Library. DJ music by Siriano‘s pal Ty Sunderland kept the crowd going, with surprise performances throughout the evening. All eyes were on icon Janet Jackson who hung in a VIP section with Siriano and other guests, as the crowd snacked on popcorn treats from Candy Pop, Cereal Pop and Cookie Pop, with flavors such as Twix and Fruity Pebbles. Other notables included Alicia Silverstone and Sarah Hyland, Coco Rocha who closed the runway show earlier in the day as “Siriano’s muse” plus Laverne Cox, Padma Lakshmi, Adrian Grenier, Audrina Patridge, Marta Pozzan and Katie Cassidy, among many others. Guests at the energized bash sipped on espresso martinis featuring Kahlua and Absolut, Sainte Marguerite rose wine, and Bombay Sapphire.
Late night on Friday, September 8th, Akiva and Offset hosted a one night only late night FW pop up at Hearsay, a new Meatpacking nightspot. The party which kicked off at 1am following the Siriano celebration, also included co-hosts Bloody Osiris, Bloody Dior, Evan Mock, Imaan Hammam, Model of the year Grace Elizabeth, Alessandro Brisochi, Richie Romero, and Badius. DJ sets included Chase B, Austin Mills, Zack Bia, Mel Debarge, with fashion attendees like Kaia Gerber, Winnie Harlow, Jared Leto, Teyana Taylor, A$AP Ferg, Edward Enninful, Jordyn Woods, Kyle Kuzma, Karreuche, Stella Maxwell, Joan Smalls, Cara Delevingne, Audrina Patridge, Coi Leray, Peggy Gou, Kevin Durant, plus many, many more. The entire street was taken over by guests trying to get a spot in the uber exclusive nightlife party, with VIPs filtering in from all the other fashion week event’s earlier that night.
On September 8th, exactly 1 year after Route launched their Carbon product and commitment towards sustainability, they hosted a fashion event at The Ned NoMad rooftop, for industry luminaries to celebrate their sustainable impact, including Carbon brand partners. Route Founder and Exec Chair, Evan Walker, with actor and activist Adrian Grenier, hosted the event around Route’s Carbon Project and the future of sustainability in fashion. Attendees included Rebecca Minkoff, Carly Weinstein, Katie Cassidy, Bran Flakes, Lisa DiCicco, Hawaii McLaughlin, Luanna Perez, Maeta, Marta Pozzan, and more.
The following day on September 9th, Forbidden Well hosted a daytime relaxation and recovery lounge at The Ned NoMad as a relief for fashionistas amongst the evening chaos. Top modeling agencies joined Forbidden Well for some much needed relaxation, including IV Therapy, Vitamin Shots, NAD+, limited Botox, massages, energetic alchemy healing, trauma-focused chiropractic care, and gentle facials treatments at The Ned NoMad. Models and Wellness Influencers such as Kinsey Wolanski, Ambra Gutierrez, Kylie Vonnahme, Enly Tammela, Cata Freer all stopped by to indulge in the services.
Richie Akiva and Diplo during Flaunt at The Ned
Doja Cat at The Ned x Flaunt
YG performing at The Ned during Flaunt
Diplo, Hank Korsan, YG at Flaunt at The Ned
Sarah Hyland at The Ned NoMad
Siriano and Alicia Silverstone at The Ned
Christian Siriano with Cookie Pop and Cereal Pop
Coco Rocha Celebrating Siriano at The Ned
Sainte Marguerite at The Ned Siriano Party
Siriano Afterparty at The Ned
Candy Pop snacks during Siriano
Ty Sunderland spins at The Ned during Siriano
Adrian Grenier and Christian Siriano
Bonnie McKee at Flaunt's party
Yovanna Ventura at Flaunt
Denim Braxton at The Ned x Flaunt
Offset and Kevin Durant at Hearsay
Chase B at Hearsay
In 2021, Arden Jones, the viral singer-songwriter known for his unique blend of rap and pop, signed a record deal with Atlantic Records. The stage was set for an unforgettable performance by the rising artist.
When I think of summertime, the first thing that comes to my mind is concerts and what tickets I can score before they’re all sold out. Thankfully, AfroPunk Fest is the best end of summer music festival to see all of your favorite artists, one last time before the sun sets early and the weather turns chilly. This years line up is a collection of fierce, unapologetically black artists featuring Brooklyn native Joey Badass, Harlems princess Teyana Taylor, Rapper/Producer Flying Lotus, Vince Staples, Baby Tate, the absolutely Iconic Durand Bernarr and more.
Meet GUNNAR, a rising rock sensation from Southern California, building a successful career within the music industry. Without a doubt, GUNNAR’s unwavering commitment to his musical craft and connecting with audiences radiates throughout our conversation.
AFROPUNKFest 2023 is brought to you live, from Saturday, August 26th, and Sunday, August 27th; celebrating a weekend of The Circus of Soul. Afro Punk Fest has been a Brooklyn staple since 2005, bringing together the community with light, love, and music. This year’s Afro Punk Fest is bigger than ever, since its return post-pandemic. AFROPUNK Fest has always been held at Commodore Barry Park, but this year, they have changed locations to Green-point Brooklyn’s Skyline Drive-in Theatre by the water. As a Brooklyn native, I’ve grown up each year excited to attend the festival, but this year, as the 25-year-old fashionista writer that I’ve become, I had the opportunity to cover it as media and press. My younger self would be so proud, my current self is leaping for joy and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about this 2 day affair!
AFROPUNKFest is a festival of music, fashion, and unapologetic blackness. Every year, attendees dress up in unique outfits matching the theme of the festival. The Circus of Soul is this year’s theme, and it was drawn out perfectly. There is beauty and there is a pain in the black community when it comes to the word “Circus”. It has multiple definitions, but I had the pleasure of speaking with Sean G, Creative Director of AFROPUNK, and his inspiration for the theme was paying homage to celebrating our blackness. “The circus, on the one hand, has a dark side to it, and we wanted to do something, AFROPUNK, by exploring what that means to us. In history, black people during slavery were sold and showcased in the circus as freaks. For example, the first black albino twins were showcased as the “Men from Mars,” in 2023, and celebrities such as Winnie Harlow are now praised for their skin discoloration. AFROPUNK and I explored how the blackness from white eyes, is this fear and fascination of black people, and how white supremacy objectified and put us on display, as the detriment to ourselves, but over time we found a way to take our power back, and become not the slaves, but the masters, and come to celebrate our “freakiness”, our “oddness” and let the freak show fly”. This is a powerful quote and give us the true essence of what the AFROPUNK Festival truly is about and how we can continue to take up black power in spaces created specifically for us and by us.
AFROPUNKFest went full out on the circus theme, and so did the attendees. Once you walked in, the layout of the festival reminded me of the twists and turns in a carnival, with the excitement behind every corner. There were stilt walkers, vendors, and performers, oh my! The outfits were my favorite part because of how committed and creative everyone was. There were people painted in gold, hair as big as the sky, multiple colors, and outfits handmade and bejeweled with the brightest jewels I’ve ever seen. It was so hard to choose a favorite. AFROPUNK Fest is a safe space meant for creativity and self-expression. Since 2005, the festival looks of the attendees have elevated to the most beautiful and authentic fashions I’ve seen. Fashion outside of festivals is a bit more laid back, but the boldness of the attendees was a 100/10 for me. It’s admirable how everyone has their unique fashion sense because nothing looked the same. There wasn’t one outfit that was similar to another, which is what I craved! For more on fashion at AFROPUNK Fest, I created a reel on @Theknockturnal Instagram page and interviews with attendees and performers.
@Bambiix2 on Instagram: http://instagram.com/bambiix2
The creativity is remarkable, iconic, and legendary. It’s so impressive how these “costumes” attendees dedicate their time to get every last detail right and with a story that goes behind it. For example, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jamal, as seen below in Red. His story was so beautiful of the theme behind his red bridal dress. “My look is red, because it’s my favorite color. It is also my father’s and lover’s favorite color, who both have unfortunately passed away. This is a look that is honoring my love and is the wedding that I never got to have,” Jamal tells me emotionally. Wow! Hearing that, made me just want to break down and we hugged for a very long time, not saying a word, only exchanging each other’s embrace and love. This love is what AFROPUNK is about.
@Kingofjamaica http://Instagram.com/kingofjamaicaand @jamalisking on instagram http://instagram.com/jamalisking
My angle for approaching all the fabulous attendees are capturing their fabulous outfits, is to ask them what black joy means to you. There is so much going on in this world and our daily lives that we forget to have some fun or let our hair down for a bit, and that is why so many people love coming to AFROPUNK Fest for a weekend of pure joy and excitement; a stop in normal day life. Black joy is crucial and should be celebrated with each chance we get. This wonderful woman in this African-inspired outfit stated, “black joy is power, black joy is melanin and unity”. Another attendee, Lew Caine, stated “black joy is this! When you are around your people, spreading love, giving back, elevating and just having a good time.” Shauna Grey, Global head of Development at AFROPUNK shared her meaning of Black joy. “Black joy is watching everyone here have pure teeth while smiling, the babies walking around and those individuals fully exposed in their clothes without fear of being judged, and that’s black joy, just happiness without fear. Caroline Wanga, The President and CEO of Essence Magazine, stopped by to talk to me backstage, as Baby Tate was performing, and she shared her meaning of black joy. “I think black joy is freedom when we have to stop worrying about making black accommodate everybody else”.
For more interviews on black joy, check out my reel on @Theknockturnal Instagram.
AFROPUNK fest’23 has been one for the books.
Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for Sony
R&B sensation Miguel is gearing up to unveil his latest musical endeavor, and he’s taking his artistry to electrifying heights–literally. On the exhilarating evening of August 25th, the soulful artist, renowned for hits like “Adorn,” orchestrated an exclusive sneak peek of his upcoming album, Viscera, at the illustrious Sony Studios. What unfolded left fans both amazed and slightly unnerved, as Miguel delivered a performance that crawled under the skin–in the best possible way.
As the stage came alive, Miguel stood shirtless, flanked by a team of experts who fearlessly pierced his back with metal hooks, fastening him securely to hanging wires descending from the studio’s ceiling. A daring spectacle, no doubt. Upon closer inspection, those metal hooks delicately tugged at his bare skin, all while he floated mid-air. In this breathtaking suspension, he debuted a new song, his voice resonating with lyrics that echoed the gravity-defying act he embodied: “I’m hanging onto nothing / I’m hanging from the ceiling.” The very essence of his artistry pulsed with an electrifying intensity.
Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for Sony
In a candid conversation with the Los Angeles Times, Miguel peeled back the layers of his audacious performance. “If you’re only here for the predictable version of me, then you’re not truly here for me,” he candidly remarked. The body suspension, as he revealed, was a bold endeavor to transcend his boundaries. He reflected, “At the outset, it was pushing far beyond expectations. How could I showcase the extent to which I’d go for art, for dialogue? ‘Til hooks pierced my flesh, I couldn’t truly fathom my dedication to the essence of this endeavor.”
Yet, Viscera isn’t confined to jaw-dropping theatrics alone. Miguel emphasized it encapsulates the tumultuous essence of growth itself. His words held a raw honesty: “Let’s not dance around it. I’m laying it bare,” he shared. The trajectory of his career initially clashed with the music industry of yore, with labels stuck in bygone ways. Miguel’s artistic identity seemed like an enigma at that juncture. Yet, as the industry’s horizons expanded, creating room for audacious exploits like his aerial suspension, Miguel is unapologetically grasping the opportunity.
Prepare to be captivated, as Miguel readies to unleash not just an album, but a sonic journey that mirrors the relentless, often wild nature of personal evolution. In a world where the ceiling is no longer the limit, Miguel’s artistic bravery and genre-defying energy propel him to new heights–hooks and all.
Kaitlyn Dorff, born and raised in Calabasas, California, is no stranger to the music biz.