Victoria Monét and Chris Brown are among the first winners at the NAACP Image Awards.

At the NAACP Image Awards virtual ceremony on Monday, March 11, Victoria Monét and Chris Brown were the stars of the show. The prestigious three-day event, which takes place online, is a precursor to the live televised award ceremony on Saturday, hosted by none other than Queen Latifah. As early winners were announced across categories in music, television, and film, Monét, with the most nominations in the recording category, was expected to secure some early wins before the televised ceremony. And she did not disappoint, earning six nominations in total and already securing two Image Awards for Outstanding New Artist and Outstanding Album for "Jaguar II," as reported by Variety. This marks Monét's first NAACP Image Awards, adding to her already impressive award season tally of three Grammys won last month.

Following closely behind Monét was Usher with five nominations, who also secured an early win for Outstanding Male Artist. H.E.R. took home the award for Outstanding Female Artist, while Chris Brown, with his collaborations with Ciara and Davido & Lojay, won two Image Awards. On the film side, "The Color Purple" musical film, with its 16 dominating nominations, landed its first win for Outstanding Soundtrack or Compilation Album. Produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, and Quincy Jones, the film is a reimagined version of Alice Walker's classic novel, Spielberg's 1985 Academy Award-nominated film, and the Tony-winning Broadway musical. The soundtrack features musical tracks performed by an A-list cast, including Fantasia, Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey, H.E.R., Corey Hawkins, Colman Domingo, and Danielle Brooks.

The virtual NAACP Image Awards was hosted by Khloe Thomas and featured presenters Bellah, Da'Vinchi, Danielle Jalade, Gabrielle Nevaeh, and Vanessa Simmons. And the excitement continues as the Queen Latifah-hosted Image Awards will be broadcast live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS.

In related news, Victoria Monét has partnered with the Black Music Action Coalition to launch a $5,000 Music Maker Grant. This initiative aims to support and uplift Black musicians and artists, providing resources and opportunities for them to thrive in the music industry. Monét, who has been making waves in the music scene with her soulful R&B sound, is dedicated to using her platform to create positive change and promote diversity and inclusion.

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