Currently, Monica is said to be putting the finishing touches on her forthcoming album Trenches, which — as previously reported by REVOLT — could see her delving into the country genre:

“I grew up loving country music and my stepfather, who raised me, is a Methodist minister, but he also drove buses, and he would take us to Nashville, Gatlinburg and Dollywood in Tennessee … I started listening to the depth of the songs and the fact that they were unafraid to say whatever it was they felt. I felt like this was a great time for me to really step into an area that I’ve always admired and loved.”

Today (July 15), Monica unveils her new single from the project titled “Friends,” a collaboration alongside Ty Dolla $ign. The track is centered around the two artists refusing to allow their circle of homies to have a negative impact on their relationship:

“I got friends, baby, just like you, but they don’t understand it, what we’re going through, we can go back and forth, that’s all we do, just me and you, I got your back, yeah, you got my front, yeah, that’s how we love, we do what we want, they don’t notice all the little things, in everything you do, that’s why I love you, darling, and there’s nothing they can do about it, baby, oh, oh, that’s why I love you, baby…”

Upon its eventual arrival, Trenches will follow 2015’s Code Red, a 14-song body of work with contributions from Akon, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Lil Wayne, Polow Da Don, Danja, and more. The LP peaked within the top five of Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart following its first week of release.

Fans can press play on Monica and Ty Dolla $ign‘s new single below.