Monica Denise Brown and professionally known as Monica, is an American singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...

, record producer

Record producer

A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

, and actress. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia

College Park, Georgia

College Park is a city located partly in Fulton County, Georgia and partially in Clayton County, Georgia, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,942...

, Monica began performing as a child and became part of a traveling gospel choir, by the time she was ten. Guided by producers Dallas Austin

Dallas Austin

Dallas Austin is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of his most notable clients include Michael Jackson, TLC, Boyz II Men, Pink, Monica, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Stacie Orrico, Another Bad Creation, Fishbone, Sugababes, Anastacia, Namie Amuro, Kim...

 and Tim & Bob

Tim & Bob

Tim & Bob aka Funktwons, are Grammy Award-winning songwriting musicians and a Hip-hop/R&B pop production duo. Tim & Bob have discovered and or worked on some of the biggest artists in the music industry and has helped develop the Atlanta music scene as it is widely known for today...

, she signed with Arista Records

Arista Records

Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...

 at age thirteen and released her debut album Miss Thang

Miss Thang

Miss Thang is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Monica Arnold. It was released by Rowdy and Arista Records on July 18, 1995 in the United States, featuring main production by mentor Dallas Austin protégés from his DARP production camp such as Tim & Bob, Darryl Simmons, Colin...

in 1995. Its first two singles "Don't Take It Personal

Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)

"Don't Take It Personal " is a song by American R&B singer Monica. It was written by producer Dallas Austin, Willie James Baker, Daryl Simmons, Marlon Williams and rappers LL Cool J and Chuck D for her debut studio album, Miss Thang , incorporating samples of both LL Cool J's 1993 record "Back Seat...

" and "Before You Walk out of My Life

Before You Walk out of My Life

"Before You Walk out of My Life" is a song by American R&B singer Monica. It was written by Andrea Martin and Soulshock & Karlin, and it was produced by Soulshock & Karlin for her debut studio album, Miss Thang...

" made her the youngest recording act to ever have two consecutive chart-topping hits on the US Billboard Top R&B Singles chart.

In 1998, Arnold's second album The Boy Is Mine

The Boy Is Mine

"The Boy Is Mine" is a duet by American recording artists Brandy and Monica. It was written by LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and Brandy with co-production by Darkchild and Dallas Austin, and released as the lead single from both singers' second albums during the...

earned her major international chart success.