Monaleo has unveiled details of her debut album this week (May 10) and has shared a new single from the upcoming project – check out ‘Ass Kickin’ below.
The rapper, who appeared on NME’s ‘Essential Emerging Artists for 2023‘ list earlier this year, announced that her debut album will have 11 tracks and will be called ‘Where The Flowers Don’t Die’. It will arrive on May 26 via Stomp Down and you can pre-order it here.
Monaleo also opened up about her recent pregnancy announcement in a statement unveiling her new album. She said: “Now that my pregnancy and project have been announced, I wanted one of the first singles I put forward to be bold and unapologetic.”
Speaking about her new single, she continued: “‘Ass Kickin’ is just that…it’s a carefree record that represents free and liberated women. A perfect introduction to the woman I was while curating [‘Where The Flowers Don’t Die’].”
Listen to ‘Ass Kickin’ here:
my first project.
“Where The Flowers Don’t Die” 🪷 05/26 pic.twitter.com/enpY11j79M— MONALEO 🪷 (@themonaleo) May 10, 2023
The musician spoke to NME last year about working with Flo Milli on viral track, ‘We Not Humping’ – something the two performed together recently at Coachella.
“The experience of working with her was very genuine and pure,” Monaleo explained. “It started as a simple Twitter DM: I’d sent her ‘We Not Humping’ before it came out and wanted her to be on it. I enjoy her artistry and I think she’s extremely talented. She’s beautiful and exudes this energy that’s channelled on our song.
“Her energy was very infectious; she was receptive and warm. She didn’t give me those ‘low-key intimidated’ vibes, nothing of the sort. We recorded the back-and-forth at the start of the song, and we were laughing, having shots. It was wonderful.”
The rapper also said she was already thinking about her legacy. “I’d like to be remembered as an artist that was fearless: someone who used her circumstances as a stepping stool to be a voice to the people who have gone through similar things.
“Ultimately, I want to be happy, but I don’t want to attach my happiness to anything tangible or materialistic. When your core is happy, everything around you is harmonious – it all works out.”
Away from music, the rapper is an advocate for mental health and has spoken out about her own issues with anxiety in the past.
Monaleo told NME that she was keen to use her platform to raise awareness about mental health in the music industry.
“My mental health is something I deal with on a day-to-day basis,” she told NME. “So I want to make sure I handle myself and my story with care, so when the time feels right, I can attack it.”