Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney Inspired Brandy and Monica’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’
Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine” is one of the most famous R&B songs of the late 1990s. Interestingly, the song might not exist if not for Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. During an interview, Brandy revealed what she thought of “The Boy Is Mine” when she first heard it. She also revealed “The Boy Is Mine” affected how she was treated in real life.
Brandy thought she needed to duet with Monica
During an interview with Zane Lowe, Brandy discussed the origin of “The Boy Is Mine.” “Oh my God, that’s the biggest song of my entire career, I think,” she said. “What an amazing record. I think when I first heard the record with Rodney Jerkins, I couldn’t believe to hear the instruments that he used in that song. I was blown away by it.”
Brandy wanted to work with Monica on “The Boy Is Mine.” “I knew that just with the topic of the song, it needed Monica on it,” she said. “I thought that she just brought such an amazing flavor, an amazing swag to the song and every time I hear it, it sounds fresh and new to this day.”
This competitive 1980s song inspired ‘The Boy Is Mine’
According to Billboard, “The Boy Is Mine” was inspired by Jackson and Paul’s duet “The Girl Is Mine.” Both songs feature a pair of famous singers dueling for the affections of another. Brandy said the competitive lyrics of “The Boy Is Mine” caused people to pit her against Monica in real life.
“Especially when you say Monica and myself, I mean, that song was about a boy and it was about us competing over a boy,” Brandy told Lowe. “And so naturally people are going to put us against each other even more because of the topic of the song and what we’re speaking about. So we played into the competitiveness of it.”
The way the world reacted to Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney’s ‘The Girl Is Mine’ and Brandy and Monica’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’
Both songs were major hits. “The Girl Is Mine” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 18 weeks. Its parent album, Thriller, topped the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 496 weeks.
Meanwhile, “The Boy Is Mine” topped the Billboard Hot 100, lasting on the chart for 27 weeks. The song was featured on two albums: Brandy’s Never Say Never and Monica’s The Boy Is Mine. Never Say Never reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and was on the chart for 72 weeks. Meanwhile, The Boy Is Mine peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, lasting on the chart for 58 weeks. While “The Boy Is Mine” sounds very different from “The Girl Is Mine,” the former wouldn’t exist without the latter.
