Brandy vs. Monica: Who Has the Higher Net Worth?
With the push for Brandy and Monica to be the next pair of singers to take on a “Verzuz battle,” the longstanding comparisons between the artists don’t appear to be dying down anytime soon. Both rose to megastardom in their early teens and had similar musical influences and sounds. And after their collaboration on “The Boy Is Mine,” the comparisons only increased. Both Brandy and Monica are considered icons, but who has a higher net worth?
Brandy’s career took off in her early teens
Brandy’s career took off when she was just 14 years old with her multi-platinum self-titled debut album in 1994. But even before her debut release, Brandy was already on her way, appearing in such sitcoms as We Are Family and Thea. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 1995 Grammy Awards. And though she did not take home the prize, her career continued to rise.
Just two years after her debut release, she was catapulted into the mainstream as the star of the breakout hit UPN sitcom, Moesha. The show aired for six seasons and followed the growing pains of a young African-American teenager in Los Angeles.
The success of the show only added to Brandy’s popularity. And during the show’s peak, she released her second studio album, Never Say Never. The album sent her into crossover success and became her highest-selling and highest-charting album in her career.
She released four more studio albums throughout her career, all of which were successful. But Brandy’s career has been expansive thanks to her acting chops and even branding and merchandise. She made history by becoming the first black singer to be the face of Covergirl, had several Barbie dolls in her honor, and a popular fan club.
Brandy further expanded her resume with stints in Broadway shows, including starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago. She starred alongside icons, including Whitney Houston and Diana Ross in television films. Plus, she was cast as a recurring cast member on hit shows, including The Game on BET. And she landed her own sitcom once again with Zoe Ever After. She’s currently working on her seventh studio album.
Monica’s career launched just after Brandy’s
Monica’s debut release came a year after Brandy’s. She signed her first deal when she was just 13 years old. And her debut album, Miss Thang, was released when she was 15 in 1995. The album yielded two chart-topping singles and was eventually certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
It was her second album, 1998’s The Boy Is Mine, that marked her biggest success on an international scale. It had crossover hits with singles like “Angel Of Mine” and “For You I Will,” which was included on the soundtrack to Space Jam.
To date, she’s released eight studio albums. Her only album to debut at No. 1 was 2003’s After The Storm, which landed at the top of the Billboard 200.
Aside from music, Monica has done a little acting. Her debut was in the MTV-produced film Love Song in 2000. She’s also had guest appearances in Living Single, ATL, and Pastor Brown. Her main television arena has been reality TV. She had her own BET reality series, Monica: Still Standing, and has been part of the ensemble cast of T.I.’s VH1 family series Friends & Family Hustle since the beginning.
Brandy and Monica’s joint achievements
While they’ve had individual success, Brandy and Monica’s greatest success has been together. Their 1998 collaboration of “The Boy Is Mine” was not only their biggest hit — spending 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard chart — but it also earned them their first and only Grammy award to date.
Their 2012 follow-up, “It All Belongs To Me,” did not have even close to the same success. But it still proved they make great music together. Past tension between the two has caused their long breaks in working together, despite fans’ wishes for them to do so. But both now maintain that they are open to the possibilities.
Does Brandy or Monica have a higher net worth?
As an artist, Monica has had more success in urban markets rather than in mainstream media. Brandy has had more success with her music across charts, as she’s had more crossover appeal. Some fans argue that Brandy also has a bigger brand because of the way she has been marketed in her career with merchandising and such.
Brandy’s entertainment profile is more versatile, as she’s an accomplished actor and stage performer with her television, film, and Broadway credits. Monica, on the other hand, has focused primarily on music and touring. She’s a constant presence on the road, whether solo or as part of an ensemble tour with other artists.
Celebrity Net Worth lists Monica’s net worth at $15 million, while Brandy’s estimation is between $14 million and $16 million. So it appears that both have been equally as profitable in their respective lanes.
Regardless, both paved the way for a new generation of artists. And at a time when young black girls needed an image of themselves, both Brandy and Monica filled the gap.
