Monica Shares the Inspiration Behind ‘Code Red’ [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

Monica wants to bring that old R&B sound back. With her latest album, Code Red, the "So Gone" singer doesn't just have a catchy title, it's also a sounding alarm to declare a state of emergency for the genre.

R&B is more than a genre, it's helped Monica through "a lot of different things." It's important. And her latest album is a testament to it.

Code Red is the first album Monica has released since 2012, but she was in a '90s state of mind while creating it. "I make the music for the people," she said. The 35-year-old singer also gave some nuggets of advice as she revealed the secret to crafting music from the heart.

"When you're not in love with it, the music just doesn't connect," she said.

Fans might have seen Monica's daughter in the studio with her on Instagram, and the veteran songbird describes the hilarious reason of how that came about as well. Her daughter, Laiyah, is even featured on the title song "Code Red" with Missy Elliott.

As Christmas approaches, The BoomBox will be unveiling new videos of Monica talking about her latest effort, Code Red, as part of a five-part series. Check out the second installment above.