Victoria Monét takes us through every messy, beautiful, sexy, heartbreaking frequency of romance on her sprawling new album Frequency of Love.

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TOP 5 SONGS

5. Maybe

Imma be honest, the first few seconds of this song had me like, “Yeah, this one’s not gonna be for me.” But as the song progressed, I started really getting into it, and by Lucky Daye’s feature, “Maybe” had me in a chokehold.

I love the simplicity of this track. You’ve got some synths and snaps through the first verse, with the focal point clearly being Victoria’s voice, and then the beat drops for the chorus and it’s chef’s kiss. “Maybe” is all about not knowing where you stand in a relationship, but knowing where you’re not gonna stand is in the middle. It’s either I’m yours or I’m not. There is no in-between.

The chemistry between Victoria and Lucky is magnetic, and by the end of the track, I was ready to hit replay.

4. That’s Why I Love You

Am I tripping, or does Bruno hit different in this song? He brings pure yearning to “That’s Why I Love You,” which isn’t unusual for him, but he sounds… feral? Rugged? Animalistic? I don’t know, but it had me side-eyeing and second-guessing everything I thought I knew about Bruno Mars.

Anyway, this song is sexy, and with its shakers and sh*t, it just works. Go listen to it.

3. Let Me

“Let Me” is one of the singles from this album, and I don’t know how I was living without this song up until now. It’s about a man who is scared to be vulnerable and the woman behind him who wants him to know that she can be his safe space.

He can let her help him, he can open up to her, he can cry or rant, or just be held. Not only is it okay with her, it’s encouraged. She just wants to be the one he lets his guard down for. She wants to love him through his struggles and show him that vulnerability doesn’t have to be something he fears.

There’s something incredibly tender about wanting someone to know they don’t always have to carry everything alone, and Victoria captures that feeling beautifully.

2. See You In My Dreams

“Ile, really, another SZA feature?” Yes, imaginary audience. Another one. Argue with the wall.

No, but seriously, something about SZA on a track like “See You In My Dreams” is always going to work for me. The song has this alt, neo-soul vibe that fits her voice perfectly, and her and Victoria Monét’s vocals side by side are just icing on the cake.

Lyrically, the track follows the relationship you coulda/shoulda pursued but fumbled instead. And now you’re sitting here second-guessing that decision every day, just filled with regrets. You’re dreaming about this person and what y’all could have had together. It’s honestly brutal.

1. You Hurt Me Too

From the vocal run like two seconds into the track, I knew this was going to be it. From the soft piano to the even softer, raw, broken vocals, “You Hurt Me Too” had me experiencing a heartbreak from a relationship I wasn’t even a part of.

Victoria tells a tragic tale of a person who promised her peace, comfort, and security. She opened up to them, explaining the pain she endured in past relationships, and was promised that this one would be different. Alas, it was a lie, and now she’s getting hurt once again.

The pure emotion in this track is soul-shattering. You can hear the disappointment, the vulnerability, and the devastation in every note, making it one of those songs that somehow hurts even when the story isn’t yours.

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SONG BY SONG RATING

All I Need (4/5)
Come Back To You (4/5)
Care For Somebody (Interlude) (4/5)
Say Dat (4/5)
Head To Toe (4/5)
Almost (4/5)
Juicy (4/5)
Dark Side Of The Moon (Interlude) (N/A)
You Mean The World To Me (4/5)
Maybe (4.5/5)
Money (4/5)
You Hurt Me Too (4.5/5)
See You In My Dreams (4.5/5)
That’s Why I Love You (4.5/5)
Single (4/5)
Reach Out (4/5)
I Want You (4/5)
I Want You (interlude) (N/A)
Lose Myself (3.5/5)
Let Me (4.5/5)
No Love Like Yours (Interlude) (4/5)
For You (4/5)

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RGM RATING

Victoria Monét’s Frequency of Love explores the highs and lows of romance. This 22-track album gives you little glimmers of multiple different romantic and sexual situations, from the beginning stages of flirting to rocky breakups and everything in between.

Sonically, Frequency of Love leans heavily into R&B, with different cultural influences and plenty of genre blending. No two songs sound the same. Some songs feel very new-age while others feel old-school, but no matter the differences, it works. It’s like a family: everyone is different but still belongs together.

Lyrically, Victoria takes us through so many different versions of love. There’s the excitement of wanting someone, the uncertainty of not knowing where you stand, the comfort of feeling safe with someone, the frustration of being hurt, and the regret that comes when you realize you let something meaningful slip away. Even the sexual moments feel like part of the larger story rather than existing separately from the emotional ones.

Victoria’s ability to express emotion through her vocals and pull you into a story is unmatched. The happy songs feel overwhelmingly joyful, and the sad songs are made to be even sadder just by the way she expresses herself. You can’t help but sympathize every single second.

Overall, this was a very strong album, filled with songs I won’t forget and moments I want to relive again and again. As wild as it sounds, she could’ve added 20 more songs and I still don’t think it would’ve been enough for me. Frequency of Love feels like a full exploration of romance in all its forms: the sexy parts, the sweet parts, the complicated parts, and the parts that hurt like hell.

And honestly? I’m still not tired of it.

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