R&B singer Monica is gearing up to release her long-awaited country album Open Roads later this year.  According to PEOPLE, Monica recorded the country album, produced by Brandi Carlile, 43 (who has previously produced albums for Joni Mitchell and Tanya Tucker).

Rolling Stone reported that Monica, 43, teased the project in 2022, and announced that it was complete in 2023. Monica said in a statement: “I’m truly excited about this full circle moment to reconnect with WME since that’s where it all started for me with my debut album, Miss Thang,” confirming that her new R&B album MDA as well as her country album Open Roads are set for release later this year.

Monica revealed in 2022 to Entertainment Tonight that she has always loved country music, sharing in an interview that when she was young, she would sing country songs. She said: “I realized there are no limitations to what we can do and Brandi Carlile told me, ‘Monica, stop waiting and I will help you.’ Since then, we have been working nonstop.”  Monica also spoke about her desire to record a country album in 2020, but said she would not ever leave R&B behind completely: “I don’t want to be in a box in any form. I speak about what I lived but there are many ways to speak about it. So, if I really started to move in that direction—not to leave or forsake R&B, ever. That would always be the base and foundation. My goal is to really create a record first and see how it is really received. I would want it to be well-written and very well sang. I would want it to be produced by someone that would be hard on me, not be afraid of me.”

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