NEED TO KNOW
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Brandy and Monica appeared on the Wednesday, June 25, edition of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
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The two discussed their 1998 hit duet “The Boy Is Mine”
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Brandy revealed the surprising inspiration for the track
Brandy and Monica are revealing the surprising inspiration behind their beloved duet, “The Boy Is Mine.”
During a joint appearance on the Wednesday, June 25, edition of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Brandy was asked whether it is true she got the idea for the 1998 track from an episode of The Jerry Springer Show.
“Yes, I was a huge Jerry Springer fan, and one of the topics was, ‘The boy is mine.’ I’m like, ‘Oh my god, song idea, let’s do this,’ ” Brandy told host Jimmy Fallon.
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After getting the inspiration, Brandy knew she wanted Monica to join her on the song.
“I was always a fan of hers and I wanted to work with her, so I called her up and asked her to be a part of the song, and she said yes, and here we are,” she explained.
Monica said she initially thought people would believe they were fighting because of the song’s nature. Brandy chimed in to say, “That was the point.”
Brandy’s revelation seems to explain why the music video for the track begins with Brandy happily watching The Jerry Springer Show, only to have Monica change the channel. After Brandy changes it back, the two squabble over the TV, and the song begins.
The track quickly achieved success, spending 13 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts, and also won a Grammy.
Although the two would feud following the release of “The Boy Is Mine” — even after releasing another duet in 2012 called “It All Belongs to Me” — they seemingly put it all to rest in 2020 when they came together for a Verzuz battle.
The two would reconnect in 2024 again to jump on Ariana Grande’s remix of the hit track.
“It was nothing short of a blessing for Brandy and I not only to reconnect, but to reconnect and do something as special as this innovative version of ‘The Boy Is Mine,’ ” Monica told PEOPLE in January.
“She and I had not seen each other for many years, so it gave us the opportunity to talk not just about the song, but life as a whole,” she continued.
Jan Jarecki/Donato Sardella/WWD/Penske Media via Getty
Monica and Brandy at the 41st Grammy Music Awards on February 25, 1999
Brandy and Monica are set to close out 2025 with the Boy Is Mine Tour, which will kick off in Cincinnati on Oct. 16 and wrap on Dec. 7 in Houston.
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Joining Brandy and Monica on the road will be Kelly Rowland, Muni Long and 2025 American Idol champ Jamal Roberts.
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