Monica says her ‘The Boy Is Mine’ remix with Ariana Grande and Brandy was “nothing short of a blessing”

Monica has revealed her experience working on the remix of Ariana Grande‘s ‘The Boy Is Mine’, which reimagines her 1998 smash hit with Brandy.

• READ MORE: Ariana Grande – ‘Eternal Sunshine’ review: a compelling mood piece

‘The Boy Is Mine’, originally a fiery R&B duet by the duo, was given new life in a track off Grande’s 2024 album ‘Eternal Sunshine’. Grande’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’ riffs off the lyrical tug-of-war of the original track over trap-inspired production.

An ensuing remix saw Grande bringing both singers into the fold – it has since clinched a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

In a new interview with People, Monica and Brandy reflected on reuniting for the remix. “It was nothing short of a blessing for Brandy and I not only to reconnect, but to reconnect and do something as special as this innovative version of ‘The Boy Is Mine,’” Monica told People.

“She and I had not seen each other for many years, so it gave us the opportunity to talk not just about the song, but life as a whole.”

Monica also praised Grande for the collaborative spirit she brought into production – spending time on the phone and FaceTime with them while working in the studio – along with how Grande’s “personal gratitude was felt” towards her and Brandy, who called Grande a “kind and talented soul”.

“I love the fact that she did not try to remake it in the form that both Brandy and I made it in, but she created something that’s her own and she used nostalgic moments from the record,” Monica said. “That’s what made it such a no-brainer for me because it felt good.”

Monica said the remix’s Grammy nomination found her “extremely shocked, but filled with so much gratitude, so happy, so ecstatic”. See the full 2025 list of Grammy nominations here.

2024 marked a watershed year for Grande, who not only released her seventh studio album ‘Eternal Sunshine’ but starred in the wildly successful film adaptation of Wicked.

In a four-star review of Wicked, NME wrote: “Wicked flags a little in the middle, but not enough to dampen a dramatic climax in which Elphaba and Glinda travel to Oz to meet the fabled Wonderful Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). He and Yeoh sell their brief musical numbers on twinkly charisma, but Erivo and Grande are both vocally extraordinary.”

“Crucially, they also have crackling chemistry punctuated by Erivo’s bursts of intensity and Grande’s slick comic timing. By the end, you won’t quite be levitating off your seat but you’ll definitely be enchanted enough to stream the soundtrack on the way home. Funny, colourful and full of empathy for outsiders, this film really is the Shiz.”

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