0 1 0 ▁interview ▁Mon á e ▁explained , ▁" I ▁felt ▁like ▁that ▁was ▁a ▁home ▁but ▁I ▁wanted ▁to ▁write ▁my ▁own ▁musical s . ▁I ▁didn ' t ▁want ▁to ▁have ▁to ▁live ▁vic ari ously ▁through ▁a ▁character ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁played ▁thousands ▁of ▁times ▁– ▁in ▁a ▁line ▁with ▁everybody ▁wanting ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁same ▁person ." ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁year ▁and ▁a ▁half , ▁Mon á e ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁a cademy ▁and ▁re located ▁to ▁Atlanta , ▁where ▁she ▁en rolled ▁in ▁Per imeter ▁College ▁at ▁Georgia ▁State ▁University . ▁She ▁began ▁writing ▁her ▁own ▁music ▁and ▁performing ▁around ▁the ▁campus . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Mon á e ▁self - re leased ▁a ▁demo ▁album ▁titled ▁The ▁Aud ition , ▁which ▁she ▁sold ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁tr unk ▁of ▁her ▁M its ub ishi ▁Gal ant . ▁During ▁this ▁period , ▁Mon á e ▁became ▁acquaint ed ▁with ▁song writ ers ▁and ▁produ cers ▁Ch uck ▁Light ning ▁and ▁N ate ▁Wonder . ▁The ▁three ▁would ▁eventually ▁form ▁the ▁W ond aland ▁Arts ▁Collect ive . ▁She ▁worked ▁at ▁an ▁Office ▁Dep ot ▁but ▁was ▁fired ▁for ▁answering ▁a ▁fan ’ s ▁e - mail ▁using ▁a ▁company ▁computer , ▁an ▁incident ▁that ▁inspired ▁the ▁song ▁" L ett in ' ▁Go ", ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁attract ed ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁Big ▁Bo i . ▁ ▁Career ▁▁ 2 0 0 5 : ▁Career ▁beg inn ings ▁Mon á e ▁appeared