By the time she was 15, Monica had a #1 R&B hit, toured with the likes of TLC and Keith Sweat, and released her first album, the triple-platinum Miss Thang.
By age 18, she teamed with fellow teen star Brandy on "The Boy Is Mine," one of the most successful duets in history, and spent 13 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Her second LP, titled after the single, also went triple platinum, spawning monster hits like "Angel of Mine" and "The First Night."
So you can forgive the singer, who'll turn 21 in October, for wanting to take her time getting to her third album. Her latest single, "Just Another Girl," has been climbing the charts since it came out in January, but Monica isn't in any hurry to start working on a new LP.
Her personal life comes first these days, in the wake of the July suicide of Jarvis Knots, her ex-boyfriend and best friend. Knots left behind a daughter from a previous relationship, whom Monica is raising. Though the singer still is in mourning, she says Knots' daughter has been her best therapy.
She also took the plunge into acting, starring in the MTV movie "Love Song" and auditioning for other parts when she gets the chance.
Monica recently talked with Elon Johnson about acting, coming to terms with Knots' death and getting beyond the "child star" mentality.
