Monica Denise Arnold, better known as Monica, is a singer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. But what fans may not know about the Grammy Award winner, who serves as host of VH1’s Infamy: When Fame Turns Deadly, is that she’s also a huge supporter of true crime series.
“That’s really what has me so excited about this project in particular,” Monica tells ABC Audio. “Because I’m one of those ID channel, First 48-type of girls. And even growing up, I liked to watch America’s Most Wanted and different shows of that nature.”
Monica says hosting the eight-episode series, which explores celebrity cases where notoriety and fame turns deadly, hit close to home for her.
“Being in the midst of having my [own] family experience, [there’s] something very similar,” she says. “My uncle was killed just short of a year ago and it was really traumatic for us because even [though it was] deemed an accident, it doesn’t change how it makes you feel as a family and what you go through.”
Those real-life connections, Monica says, are what she hopes fans will latch onto when they tune in.
“You get a chance to hear from their mothers, their wives, their husbands,” she explains. “There are a lot of different facets when you watch a show like this. And it also gives you some insight on just how crazy things are in our world right now.”
“And this show brings light to all of that,” Monica continues. “And we do it respectfully. That was the most important part for me. We do it very respectfully because at the end of the day, someone has lost someone in every episode of the show.”
Infamy: When Fame Turns Deadly premieres Monday, June 7 at 10p.m. ET on VH1.