▁a ▁singer ▁and ▁a ▁perform er ▁from ▁a ▁very ▁young ▁age , ▁and ▁has ▁c ited ▁the ▁fict ional ▁character ▁of ▁Dor othy ▁G ale ▁from ▁The ▁W izard ▁of ▁O z ▁as ▁a ▁musical ▁influence . ▁The ▁M ised uc ation ▁of ▁Laur yn ▁Hill , ▁which ▁Mon á e ▁bought ▁two ▁copies ▁of ▁with ▁her ▁first ▁check , ▁was ▁another ▁source ▁of ▁her ▁insp iration . ▁She ▁performed ▁songs ▁from ▁the ▁album ▁on ▁Jun ete enth ▁talent ▁shows , ▁winning ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁a ▁row . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁Mon á e ▁was ▁en rolled ▁in ▁a ▁young ▁play w right s ’ ▁program , ▁the ▁Cot erie ▁Theater ' s ▁Young ▁Play w right s ' ▁Round ▁Table . ▁She ▁began ▁writing ▁musical s . ▁One ▁musical , ▁completed ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁around ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 2 , ▁was ▁inspired ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁Ste vie ▁Wonder ▁album ▁J our ney ▁Through ▁" The ▁Secret ▁Life ▁of ▁Pl ants ". ▁ ▁Mon á e ▁attended ▁F . ▁L . ▁Sch lag le ▁High ▁School . ▁After ▁high ▁school , ▁she ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁to ▁study ▁musical ▁the ater ▁at ▁the ▁American ▁Musical ▁and ▁D ram atic ▁Academy , ▁where ▁she ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁black ▁woman ▁in ▁her ▁class . ▁She ▁enjoyed ▁the ▁experience , ▁but ▁fe ared ▁that ▁she ▁might ▁lose ▁her ▁edge ▁and ▁" sound , ▁or ▁look ▁or ▁feel ▁like ▁anybody ▁else ". ▁In ▁a ▁ 2