Victoria Monét’s JAGUAR EP: Four Years of the JAGUAR Experience

It has been four years since the release of Victoria Monét’s debut EP JAGUAR on August 7, 2020. The release of the EP marked a huge turning point in Monét’s career as it was the start of—what was then aimed to be a trilogy—the critically acclaimed album duology. Since its release, Monét has grown in notoriety and has since performed at events like Coachella and won three Grammys at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Two of these awards included Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for JAGUAR II.

Monét has long been known and recognized for her talented songwriting abilities, someone who is able to create memorable and skillful lyrics that can’t easily be replicated. With a long list of writing credits with artists like Ariana Grande, Fifth Harmony, BLACK PINK, Chloe x Halle and Jhené Aiko, Monét has achieved much in her career. In fact, she has even received nominations for songs she has written such as “Do It” by Chloe x Halle for Best R&B Song at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards and at the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards for her work on Ariana Grande’s album, thank u, next.

Much like the animal the EP is named after, the jaguar represents Monét’s approach and gradual rise into the public eye. The jaguar is careful and deliberate, waiting for the right moment to strike, and the release of JAGUAR served as that perfect moment. The JAGUAR EP was released with perfect timing and embodies the energy of the jaguar’s prowess and strength with cat-like sensuality. Every aspect of JAGUAR reflects this attitude perfectly, from the lyrics to even the production of every track.

Monét’s previous projects have always been incredible pieces of work and great listens, but JAGUAR marked the shift into something different, something unlike anything she had ever done before. JAGUAR feels like Monét has completely stepped into her own and claimed her stake, the evolution of her developed sound.

The album begins with its deep and moody opener, “Moment,” that introduces us to the spirit of the jaguar and its influence on the album. Both a tale of love and prime for manifestation, the lyrics are encouraging and suggestive with an ambiguous nature that allows you to interpret them according to your vision. Overall, the sound of “Moment” is utterly magical and breathtaking.

“Big Boss (Interlude)” is the short and sweet interlude that follows “Moment,” but that doesn’t mean it’s unable to charm you and hold its own. An interlude is meant to serve as the transition between songs and the different modes of an album, something that “Big Boss” achieves all while standing tall. With such an addictive disposition, “Big Boss” is effective at telling a story and hypnotizing you as you listen.

Suggestive and bold, “Dive” has an abundance of the smart wordplay that Monét is known for having as a staple in her songwriting. The chorus is heavenly with a beautiful melody and excellent production. The final chorus adds a brass section to accompany the original beat, adding a beautiful layer to the makeup of the song’s ingenuity and unique character. A string section was also added to the extended instrumental flourish that closes the song. This is something Monét experiments with a lot throughout the duration of JAGUAR that adds a beautiful touch to every moment.

Following “Dive” is “We Might Even Be Falling In Love (Interlude),” the perfect buffer to facilitate the transition from the hazy “Dive” into the colorful and energetic “Jaguar.” This interlude takes on a groovy and cheerful expression perfect for a good time. The song is sweet like the moment it hopes to describe, a passing breath that doesn’t linger for too long and touches on the fleeting moment of blossoming love perfectly.

As the titular song of the album, “Jaguar” did not disappoint and arrived with a great amount of momentum built up from the previous four songs. “Jaguar” is a culmination of all the things that made the previous four tracks great with an added special something that makes it so outstanding. “Jaguar” is dynamic and explosive, captivating from its very start with creative lyrics and a majestic opening. The instrumental breakdown between the intro and the first chorus captures the feeling of the intergalactic takeoff into the JAGUAR experience perfectly. Later, the bridge’s transition into the breakdown creates an unforgettable moment filled with passion and liveliness. The song closes with a similar breakdown before slowly fading out and leaving you breathless from the experience. “Jaguar” gives you a rush from start to finish, its sound, energy and production all teaming up to create a timeless and showstopping song.

“Experience,” a song produced by SG Lewis and featuring Khalid, is a throwback straight to the 70s, an image painted even more so by the retro skating rink visuals of the lyric video. Lamenting over the heartbreaks of love, the lyrics of “Experience” are bittersweet paired with an excitable melody and beat. Khalid’s verse matches Monét’s energy and continues the narrative she created in her verses with ease, all while adding his own flair. Khalid’s signature voice provides a good harmony alongside Monét in the chorus he joins in, his voice easily identifiable and highly loved.

The track that includes some of Monét’s most clever wordplay, “Ass Like That” is brilliant and sly with a percussive beat and flirty attitude. “Ass Like That” is a song full of body confidence and a gym anthem for fitness fanatics. The track is coy and fun, and part of what gives it such contagious energy is its creativity and honesty. There’s not a dull moment as the verses unfold with ease and the brass instruments add extra character to the flavor of the moments of the instrumental they are added to as a highlight.

“Go There With You” is a song about not wanting to argue with someone but rather wanting to spend your time in other ways. Despite the context of avoiding an argument, that isn’t to suggest there isn’t love there in the lyrics, because there’s plenty. The song has a simple rhythm that flows smoothly between its verses and choruses without hesitation. The electric guitar solo before the final chorus adds a special flair to the song that compliments the smokey nature of its sound and lyrics.

Ever the writer, the lyrics of “Touch Me” tell a story that easily paints a clear narrative, setting up both the place and the subject of Monét’s loving lyrics. The melody of the chorus is beautiful and smooth, catchy and easy to recall and find yourself humming. The second verse enters smoothly like smoke with a more muted backing track that gives emphasis to the lyrics and the emotion of it all. “Touch Me” ends with one last repetition of the chorus, gentle and quiet with added vocals to not only close the song, but the album itself as the closer. The song ends with a carried out note with hardly any aspects of the instrumental playing anymore. The sole focus is Monét’s vocals and the longing of “Touch Me” that are meant to be felt and linger as JAGUAR comes to a close.

After four years, JAGUAR is just as timeless as ever. While it does have its place as a contemporary R&B album, it sounds like it could have been released yesterday and it would still be just as novel as it was when it dropped in 2020. There’s no telling how R&B will sound in ten to twenty years, or if JAGUAR could easily be dated as an album from the late-2010s and early 2020s by that point. But, even if that were so, it doesn’t take away from the fact that JAGUAR is still a remarkable and refreshing EP.

JAGUAR is innovative and honest with its experimentation and explores many music genres historically tied to the Black community and creatives such as funk, soul, disco, R&B and hip-hop seamlessly and effortlessly. Each song is crafted perfectly to represent different moods and situations, including the interludes as it’s clear they were given the same amount of care as a full-length song.

As an EP, JAGUAR is a full-fledged and properly developed body of work that cannot be forgotten easily with many stunning facets from start to finish. It is a beautiful journey that creates the groundwork for the following album, JAGUAR II, as the two works exist in tandem and build up on each other while still maintaining their individuality. After four years it is safe to say that JAGUAR has solidified its place and still has the same originality as it did after its initial release.