As a teenager growing up in Baltimore, MD, Monica Ott mentioned to her parents that she wanted a guitar for her 14th birthday. Not thinking that she would actually get it, she was pleasantly surprised to find a shiny new fire-engine-red Fender waiting for her. With her love of music and a desire to learn, she figured out how to play and eventually began writing her own songs throughout highschool and college. After graduating from Muhlenberg College she moved to NYC to pursue her dream as a professional singer/songwriter. After years of struggling she knew she needed an edge so Monica sought out one of NYC's top vocal coaches and found Tina Shafer (Vanessa Carlton), who has helped Monica and her music evolve into a style that's fresh, new, and a little unrecognizable. Monica also became part of the NYC Songwriter's Circle and beat out thousands by receiving an honorable mention in last year's songwriting contest. Her song"The Way We Used To Be" is featured on their"The Best of-Volume 1" compilation cd. Monica's storytelling on"Only Human" deals with real emotions that people may not always express but at one time or another have definitely felt.