Monét Ngo, a Vietnamese-American teacher, writes and performs coming-of-age songs he wishes he had been exposed to as a child. He leverages his unique influences of indie and alt to create songs that evoked nostalgia for many listeners.
The eight-track EP, “After School Club,” recounts Monét’s double life of being a teacher and a musician. Facing narratives of feeling lost and overcoming expectations, the album shows an underdogs tale of rising to the spotlight.
Speaking about the album, Monet shares about the process: “After a long day of tests and work, there’s so much baggage to unload. There are feelings to feel and a life outside of school to live. But here you are stuck at the After School Club. It’s a place to let it all out. All your emotions, good or bad, it’s there. The After School Club can be anything you make it. It’s a lesson, a second home, but most of all, it’s a place where you aren’t alone”.
My experience with Monét Ngo for the first time came a couple months ago with his single releases Lonestar and then Ruby Sparks. I was utterly blown away and could not stop playing. I knew he would put out a good project, from the breathtaking vocals to his unique perspective. This is the case with his debut ep, “After School Club.”
With Monét Ngo, you go through his almost Hannah Montana lifestyle of working in a school during the day and practicing music at night and on the weekends. However, by leveraging his experiences into his album message, he has been able to simultaneously create and work.
This is definitely an EP I am excited to finally have out to share with everyone. Check out “After School Club” by Monét Ngo today, featuring some of my favorites from the ep: Ruby Sparks and West Side Story.
