As a 6'5 world famous musician, it's hard for Stormzy to go incognito. Even when he's trying to discreetly kiss his rumoured new girlfriend, Victoria Monét, in a basement car park at Heathrow airport.
The pair were 'spotted', or rather 'followed', either saying hello or goodbye at the London airport last weekend and the internet has a lot to say about it. This is primarily because both Stormzy and Monét are newly (ish) single, with Stormzy splitting up with his on-off long-term girlfriend Maya Jama in July and Monét breaking up with her ex John Gaines – who she has a two-year-old daughter with – 10 months ago, but only announcing the news on social media in September.
As such, when the slightly creepy paparazzi pictures emerged showing the rumoured couple kissing, hugging and wrapping their limbs around one another, many people (us included) let out an audible gasp. What's going on between them? How did they meet? And does this mean they are in a relationship? Here's what we know.
Who is Victoria Monét?
Monét is a star in her own right. She is a hugely successful pop and R&B singer from the US. In 2022, she won Best New Artist at the Grammys, along with Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.
She is also the woman behind the songs 'On My Mama', 'We Might Even Be Falling In Love' and 'Alright'. This summer, she was one of the headliners of London festival, All Points East – a role Stormzy filled himself the year before.
The Grammy-winner has a two-year-old daughter called Hazel with her ex-partner. Singing her daughter's praises on Instagram, she once wrote, 'Hazel is the most encouraging, supportive, brilliantly talented and funny little girl!! My highest honor is being her mommy I thank God for giving her to me: I need her way more than she ever needed me.'
She was in a relationship with fitness instructor Gaines from 2020 to 2023. In September, they posted a joint statement on Instagram saying, 'We spent the last 10 months trying to respectfully and privately navigate the fact that we are no longer in a relationship. [...] Though we still completely adore and respect each other, we are not a couple anymore.'
The singer is estimated to have a net worth of $8 million, while Stormzy has a rumoured net worth of $25 million.
How did Stormzy and Victoria Monét meet?
It's not currently clear how Stormzy and Monét met, however they are both big players in the music industry and it's likely that they have been at several of the same events before.
Even so, fans have been quick to weigh in on the new romance. One wrote, 'Stormzy went from Maya Jama to Victoria Monet? This man’s roster is impeccable', another posted, 'Stormzy and Victoria Monet allegedly being a couple is still not the most surprising news I’ve heard all week tbh.' A third wrote, 'Stormzy and Victoria Monet this is the plot twist of the century'
Are Victoria Monét and Stormzy dating?
An 'eye witness' told The Sun, 'Both Stormzy and Victoria looked absolutely smitten with each other. They kissed, and when he hugged her, he picked her up in the air. It seems like he is in a great place after his split from Maya.'
While neither Stormzy or Monét have confirmed the romance themselves, there is definitely *something* going on between them. This is the first person Stormzy has been publicly tied to since Jorja Smith in 2019 when he and Maya Jama first broke up.
It's no secret that Stormzy had been vying to get back together with his ex-girlfriend of five years Maya Jama for a long time, so when the pair rekindled in summer 2023, fans thought they were 'end game'.
However, after a year of dating, they shared the news that they 'tried and it didn't work and that's okay' and appear to be on good terms as friends. It's therefore less of a shock that the rapper is moving on with someone else than it would have been a year ago.
Meanwhile, the 'On My Mama' singer has been single for nearly a year, so perhaps the stars have aligned after all. No pun intended. Unfortunately for Stormzy and Monét, as they attempt to navigate the early stages of their romance in private they should watch out for well-placed 'eye witnesses' wherever they go.
Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across pop culture, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things TV for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow shows with equal respect).