Janelle Monáe Robinson (born December 1, 1985) born in Kansas City, Kansas, and was raised in Quindaro, a working-class community of Kansas City is an American singer, rapper and actress. Monáe’s parents separated when Monáe was a toddler and her mother later married a postal worker.
Monáe was raised Baptist and learned to sing at a local church called the local African Methodist Episcopal church, the Baptist church, and the Church of God in Christ. Monáe dreamed of being a singer and a performer from a very young age, and has cited the fictional character of Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz as a musical influence.
She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society.
Four: Tightrope
“Tightrope” is a 2010 song by American singer Janelle Monáe, the first official single from The ArchAndroid. Rolling Stone named “Tightrope” the eighth best single of 2010 in its year-end list. The song garnered over 29M views on its official music video on YouTube. It was certified Gold In Canada. In 2011, at the NME Awards, “Tightrope” won the award for Best Track, it was also nominated for Best Dance Performance and Best Choreography at the 2010 Soul Train Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. It was also Nominated at the 2011 Grammy Awards for Best Urban/ Alternative Performance.
FYI
Monáe moved to New York City after high school to study musical theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, where she was the only black woman in her class.
During a 2011 interview with London Evening Standard, Monáe said she “only dates androids”, a reference to her musical alter-ego found in many of her songs
In April 2022, she came out publicly as non-binary on the Red Table Talk and added that her “pronouns are free-ass motherfucker—and they/them, her/she.”
She has a tour for her new album The Age of Pleasure (2023).
Three: Make Me Feel
With over 34M views on its official music video on YouTube “Make me Feel” was released on the 22nd of February, 2018 as the lead single from her third studio album, Dirty Computer marking it her return after a three-year hiatus. It became Monáe’s second single as a lead artist to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number 99 on the week of March 10, 2018. Monáe co-wrote the song with Julia Michaels, Mattias Larsson, Robin Fredriksson, and Justin Tranter. The song was certified Gold, Silver and Platinum in several countries like the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and Canada.
Two: Lipstick Lover
With over 2.4M views on YouTube on its official music video on YouTube, “Lipstick Lover” was released as a single off her recent album “Age of Pleasure” on the 11th of May, 2023.
Awards/Nominations
Quick fact is that Janelle Monae has been nominated 137 times but has won 49 Awards out of them!
- She has received eight Grammy Award nominations, won a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children’s and Family Emmy Award. Monáe has also been honored with the ASCAP Vanguard Award, as well as the Rising Star Award (2015) and the Trailblazer of the Year Award (2018) from Billboard Women in Music.
- Monáe received the Vanguard Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers at the Rhythm & Soul Music Awards in 2010.
- She won the Award for Breakthrough Award and Breakthrough Award in Music in 2017 and 2014
- “We are Young” won the Award at he Teen Choice Awards for Choice Single by a Group in 2012.
- In 2015 “Yoga” was nominated for the Award of Best Dance Performance at the Soul Train Music Awards.
- In 2019, at the GLAAD Media Award, she won the award for Outstanding Music Artist.
Bonus: We are Young
“We Are Young” is a song recorded by American pop band Fun, featuring American singer Janelle Monáe. The song was released on September 20, 2011 as the lead single from the album which garnered over 1B views on its official music video on YouTube. “We Are Young” attained commercial success worldwide, reaching number one in several countries. The song garnered Monáe three Grammy nominations at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year.
Discography
- The ArchAndroid (2010)
- The Electric Lady (2013)
- Dirty Computer (2018)
- The Age of Pleasure (2023)
One: Yoga feat. Jidenna
Garnering over 68M views on its official music video on YouTube, “Yoga” is a song by American singer Janelle Monáe and Nigerian-American rapper Jidenna. It was released on March 31, 2015 as the second single from the collective EP, The Eephus. The song was produced by Nate “Rocket” Wonder, Nana Kwabena and Jidenna. In the United States, “Yoga” became Monáe’s first single as a lead artist to chart on the Billboard Hot 100; the song. Time named “Yoga” the second-best song of 2015. It was certified Gold In the United States.
