Monica Shares EXCLUSIVE Photo for PEOPLE Magazine

Monica Shared photos for her Album 'Code Red' for People Magazine.
(See Photo & Article Below)

These days, a “New hair!” selfie on Instagram (complete with a sassy girl emoji) is de rigueur for announcing a makeover. But Monica just blew the selfie game out of the water — and saved her new hair reveal for a photo shoot honoring her new single.

Back in January, the R&B singer teased fans on Instagram, sharing that her latest record was in the works. Now she’s revealing her new look exclusively with PEOPLE and opening up about her bold style choices.

Her new look also reflects the place she’s in today. “I love that the cover speaks to how I feel as a woman, artist, mother and wife,” she explains. “I feel strong, encouraged and grateful. I also love that it’s fashion forward.”

Monica’s neon yellow outfit is definitely high-fashion (a Versace jacket, Hervé Léger bathing suit and Guiseppe Zanotti caged heels), a look that’s not surprising for the stylish star, who says she has no fashion regrets. “I embrace my cross color stage just as much as I embrace and appreciate my sophisticated moments,” she says. “It’s been a fun journey and it’s awesome to look back at all of my many style changes over 20 years.”

As for any beauty regrets, she realizes now that she should have embraced her scars and the aspects that make her “unique” sooner in life. We should all probably take a cue from Monica!

The Grammy winner ditched her signature, long dark tresses for a fiery red crop to celebrate her seventh studio album, “Code Red,” whose name, she explains, inspired the dye job. As for the style, she channeled a little inspiration from her very first record.

“The cut symbolizes me getting back to the fearlessness and courageous part of myself that I shared with the world in the ’90s when I released my first album ‘Miss Thang,'” Monica shares with PEOPLE. “It’s easy to over-think things and not trust your natural instincts. I let go and let the music be created in my truth.”