Muni Long Artistfacts

September 14, 1988
Muni Long is an American singer-songwriter known for her soulful voice, dynamic range, and successful songwriting career.
Muni Long was born in Vero Beach, Florida. She grew up in a close-knit family with a deep appreciation for music. Her father was in the Navy, which led to a disciplined upbringing, while her mother encouraged her early love for singing and performing.
She began writing songs as a teenager and honed her craft through singing in local choirs and performing in school talent shows. Long is largely self-taught in music, using platforms like YouTube to develop her skills.
Long first found success under her birth name, Priscilla Renea, as a songwriter, creating hits for artists across various genres. They include "Timber" for Pitbull, "Who Says" for Selena Gomez, "Worth It" for Fifth Harmony, "Don't Wake Me Up" for Chris Brown and "Imagine" for Ariana Grande.
After becoming a successful songwriter as Priscilla Renea, she reinvented herself as Muni Long to establish her own musical identity. Her stage name is pronounced "money long," which means having a lot of money.

"I picked Melrose at first. That was terrible, a very short phase," Long recalled to Billboard with a laugh. "Then I quickly settled on [the word] 'money' and went through a few last names like Money Jones, Money Smith."

It was when she heard the 2 Chainz lyric 'hair long, money long' from his 2012 track "I'm Different," that she settled on Muni Long. "I was like, 'Whoa. That's it,'" she said.
Her 2021 hit single "Hrs And Hrs" propelled her into the spotlight as a solo artist, leading to a Grammy win for best R&B performance.
Long married Masimba Chibanda, a musician and producer, in June 2014. He has co-written and produced several of her songs and also helps keep her grounded. Muni admitted to Jennifer Hudson that her lyrics can sometimes get a bit too poetic or "corny," and her husband's honest feedback keeps her work sharp and fresh.
She revealed in August 2024 on The Cruz Show that she and her husband had split. "It just didn't work out. You know, it's like, again, what I was saying: I don't have time for drama," Long said, "I don't have time for nonsense. This is one of the most amazing times in my life, and if you can't celebrate that with me, I'm so sorry, I'm going to have to leave you behind."
Muni Long was diagnosed with lupus in 2014. Some of the symptoms she has experienced include hair loss, skin rashes, and pain. Even something as benign as someone touching her arm can be painful. In late 2025, her condition took a dramatic turn when she developed pneumonia while on tour, leading doctors to warn her she had just one week to live. Long subsequently underwent a double lung transplant that saved her life.

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