Journey Montana Shines Bright On New EP ‘Stargirl’
Journey Montana is just getting started. It’s time to get familiar with the Harlem native if you haven’t already because she is next up. The singer released her latest project, Stargirl last month which infuses the sounds of pop, R&B, and drill. Montana opened up about how important songwriting is to her and name dropped a couple of artists whose pen she admires such as SZA and Drake. She described that their writing is like a fingerprint which goes back how to her first days recording in a girls group and how it was instrumental for her to learn in a group setting before she went solo.
“It was an interesting transition, but I do feel like it was necessary,” the singer says of first working in a group. “I learned so much being in that group, and I remember before the group, I had only been in the studio one time, and I left in tears because I was like, ‘This shit is hard.’ So, being with the girl group and having other girls to lean on and we're all figuring it out together was really helpful.”
By learning in a girls group, she was able to take a stab at writing for other artists and sharpen her pen. Before the age of 15, Journey was writing for artists with years of experience on their plate.
"I do think because I transitioned into writing first it did help,” she said.“I was 14 writing songs for 22-year-olds and I was doing that for a while, and I do feel like it humbled me and helped me learn how to play the back position and just help out.”
Journey Montana Goes Viral For "Bad Decisions"
The singer is doing more than “helping out” now, as she is continuing to cement herself as a singer and songwriter in her own right with Stargirl. The eight-track EP arrived on Nov. 17 and features her previously released single “Bad Decisions.” The record comes from the perspective of a woman who believes that the man in her life has written her off and cheated in turn making a horrible choice. She’s willing to seek out revenge and he still can’t let her go which turns into a tug and pull.
“You makin' bad decisions/F***** on average women/Said you wouldn't do it and you did it/I'ma pull up on your block and spin it/You so motherf***** sleazy/Fast pass, easy/Now you tryna see me, n****, I'm sleepin'/I just took a trip wit' your mans, now you're weepin',” she sings.
The song which captures Journey’s catchy lyrics and upbeat production, went viral on TikTok with nearly 3 million views. The singer admitted that it was a “weird feeling” to have her song blow up but she’s thankful for everyone for the support.
“I had never really had a song that people were making videos to. That was like kind of foreign to me like you're promoting on TikTok, but like, the only people who are really making videos to it and like your friends and your mom,” she said laughing. “I remember I was just really excited. I loved the song and I knew that it was going to do something. I love the feeling that I had about the song. I was really excited and to see how it grow and grow.”
Another highlight of Journey’s EP was that she was able to create with an artist she has always looked up to, Eric Bellinger. He assists the rising sensation on “Undefeated,” the fifth song in the project.
“I was about 16, 17, very young, just out of place at this party a few years back. I remember [Eric Bellinger] was coming into the party and I stopped him and I was like ‘Look, I love you. Can we take a picture? Like, we're gonna work together one day?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, girl.’”
She continued: “Fast forward to this year. We happen to have the same manager. So as soon as I realized that we did, I was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, I love him can we [do something?].’ So, we wrote a song together separately [and then] we just co-wrote together [and usually] I don't really co-write with people often nowadays. So I was able to work with him in an intimate space and soak that up, like his guidance and just see his process. He also vocal produced me a lot with another song, and it's still one of my favorite songs.”
Now, Journey is going on the road for her first headlining tour starting in February 2024 with Lilly Massie. The tour will also get support from rising artists E’Lanah Johnson, Brooklyn Nicole, and Victoria Brame. You can follow Journey on Instagram, TikTok, and X, for more information about her tour, visuals, and future music projects. You can stream Stargirl on every streaming platform. Take a look at our full interview with Journey above.