Muni Long is a popular American singer and songwriter who has been making waves in the music industry with her catchy R&B songs and soulful voice. She has also been the subject of curiosity among her fans and followers who wonder about her ethnicity and background. Is she Filipino? Does she have Asian roots? What is her real name? In this article, we will explore the truth behind Muni Long’s ethnicity, nationality, and parents.
Who is Muni Long?
Muni Long, pronounced “money long”, is the stage name of Priscilla Renea Hamilton, who was born on September 14, 1988, in Gifford, Florida1. She started singing at the age of two, but was not comfortable with performing in front of people until she was older2. She discovered YouTube when she was 21 and began posting videos of herself singing in her room. Her first video was a cover of “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake that she submitted for a contest to sing with him at the Grammy Awards, but she did not win3.
She continued to upload videos of herself singing original songs and covers, and gained over 30,000 subscribers on her channel. She also participated in MTV’s Say What? Karaoke show3. Her talent caught the attention of Capitol Records, who signed her under her birth name in 20094. She released her debut album, Jukebox, in December 2009, which featured the single “Dollhouse” that reached number 31 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart5.
She then spent the next decade co-writing songs for other artists, such as Rihanna’s “California King Bed”, Fifth Harmony’s “Worth It”, Kelly Clarkson’s “Love So Soft”, Ariana Grande’s “Imagine”, and Pitbull’s “Timber” featuring Kesha1. She also released her second studio album, Coloured, in June 2018, under the name Priscilla Renea. The album showcased her exploration of Americana and country soul genres.
In 2020, she adopted the stage name Muni Long and released her first single under that name, “Midnight Snack” featuring Jacob Latimore. The song was followed by her debut EP, Black Like This, which featured collaborations with Yung Bleu and Sukihana. In 2021, she released her second EP, Nobody Knows, which included the hit single “Hrs & Hrs” that peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also earned her a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance and two more nominations for Best New Artist and Best R&B Song.
What is Muni Long’s Ethnicity?
Muni Long’s ethnicity is African American. She has black and white roots from her parents, who are both American. She does not have any Filipino or Asian heritage, despite what some fans may think because of her stage name. According to an interview with Rolling Stone, she chose the name Muni Long because it sounded like a “badass Asian chick” who could be a character in a Quentin Tarantino movie. She also liked how it represented her ambition and success in the music industry.
She explained: “I wanted something that represented me as an artist and as a person. I wanted something that was catchy and memorable. I wanted something that sounded like money because I’ve been working hard for a long time and I deserve it. And I wanted something that was long because I’m here to stay.”
She also revealed that she was inspired by Asian culture and aesthetics, especially Japanese anime and manga. She said: “I love anime. I love manga. I love everything about Japanese