Janelle Monáe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Janelle Monáe
Monáe at the 2019 Paris Fashion Week
Background information
Birth name	Janelle Monáe Robinson
Born	(1985-12-01) December 1, 1985 (age 39) Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
Genres	R&B pop funk psychedelic soul hip hop progressive soul Indie soul
Occupations	Singer songwriter rapper actress
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Wondaland Epic Bad Boy Atlantic

Janelle Monáe Robinson (born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress. She has been nominated for ten Grammy Awards. She also won a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children's and Family Emmy Award. Billboard magazine has honored Monáe with the Rising Star Award in 2015 and the Trailblazer of the Year Award in 2018.

Monáe started her music journey in 2003 with her first album, The Audition. She later signed with Bad Boy Records and released her first EP (a shorter album), Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) in 2007. This EP was highly praised. Her first full studio album, The ArchAndroid (2010), was a concept album and came out through Atlantic Records.

In 2011, she sang on fun.'s hit song "We Are Young." This song became very popular, selling over ten million copies and reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Monáe's second album, The Electric Lady (2013), reached number five on the Billboard 200 chart.

Her third album, Dirty Computer (2018), was also a concept album. It received great reviews and was named one of the best albums of the year by many publications. This album came with a science fiction film of the same name. In 2022, she wrote a book of stories called The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer, which was based on the album. Her fourth album, The Age of Pleasure (2023), was nominated for Album of the Year at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.

Monáe also started acting. She became well-known for her roles in the 2016 movies Moonlight and Hidden Figures. For playing engineer Mary Jackson in Hidden Figures, she was nominated for an award. She has also starred in films like Harriet (2019) and Glass Onion (2022), and the TV show Homecoming (2020). In 2022, she won an Emmy Award for her role in the TV series We the People. In 2015, she launched her own record label, Wondaland Arts Society, and signed artists like Jidenna.

Janelle Monáe's Early Life

Janelle Monáe Robinson was born on December 1, 1985, in Kansas City, Kansas. She grew up in Quindaro, a working-class area. Her mother worked as a janitor and hotel maid. Her father was a truck driver. Monáe's parents separated when she was very young. Her mother later married a postal worker. Monáe has a younger sister named Kimmy.

Monáe was raised Baptist and learned to sing at her local church. Many of her family members were musicians and performers in local churches. From a young age, Monáe dreamed of being a singer. She was inspired by Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz. The album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill also greatly inspired her. She won talent shows three years in a row by performing songs from that album.

As a teenager, Monáe joined a program where she started writing musicals. When she was about 12, she wrote a musical inspired by Stevie Wonder's 1979 album Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants".

After high school, Monáe moved to New York City. She studied musical theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. She was the only black woman in her class. Monáe enjoyed her time there but worried about losing her unique style. She wanted to write her own musicals instead of playing characters that had been performed many times.

After a year and a half, Monáe left the academy and moved to Atlanta. She enrolled in Perimeter College at Georgia State University. There, she began writing her own music and performing around campus. In 2003, Monáe released her own demo album, The Audition. She sold copies of it from her car. During this time, she worked at an Office Depot. She was fired for using a company computer to answer a fan's email. This incident inspired her song "Lettin' Go," which caught the attention of Big Boi.

Janelle Monáe's Music Career

Starting Her Music Journey (2005)

Monáe appeared on the Purple Ribbon All-Stars album Got Purp? Vol. 2. She also sang on two songs, "Call the Law" and "In Your Dreams," from OutKast's 2006 album Idlewild. Big Boi told his friend Sean Combs about Monáe. Combs then visited Monáe's MySpace page. He loved her unique look and style. He felt she had something new and fresh.

Monáe signed with Bad Boy Records in 2006. The label helped her reach a wider audience. Combs and Big Boi wanted to build her career slowly. They wanted her music to grow naturally instead of just releasing one quick hit song.

Metropolis and The ArchAndroid (2007–2011)

Monáe performing at the Austin Music Hall in 2009

In 2007, Monáe released her first solo work, Metropolis. It was planned as a four-part concept album. After the first part, Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase), came out, she signed with Sean Combs's label. The label officially released the first part in August 2008. It was called Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition) and included new songs. This EP was highly praised. It earned Monáe a Grammy Award nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for her song "Many Moons". She also performed at festivals and opened for the band No Doubt in 2009. Her song "Open Happiness" was featured in the 2009 finale of American Idol.

Monáe talked about the idea behind her album and an alter-ego named Cindi Mayweather. She explained that Cindi is an android. Monáe likes talking about androids because she sees them as the "new other." She believes we will live in a world with androids because of technology. In her first album, Cindi was running because she fell in love with a human.

In November 2009, Monáe shared the title and idea for her album, The ArchAndroid. It was released on May 18, 2010. This album combined the second and third parts of the Metropolis story. In it, Cindi Mayweather becomes a hero for the android community. Monáe planned to make a video for each song. She also wanted to create a film, a graphic novel, and a Broadway musical based on the album.

The Metropolis story takes ideas from many places. These include Alfred Hitchcock films and the 1927 silent film Metropolis. Monáe called the film "the godfather of science-fiction movies." Both the film and Monáe's music share similar visual styles and ideas. They use future settings to explore ideas about fairness and social classes. Both also feature a female android. Monáe's android, Cindi Mayweather, represents a group that feels like "the other." Monáe says, "I feel like all of us, whether in the majority or the minority, felt like the Other at some point."

Monáe received the Vanguard Award in 2010. She performed "Tightrope" on Dancing with the Stars in September 2010. In 2011, Monáe performed at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards with Bruno Mars and B.o.B. Their performance received a standing ovation.

In September 2011, Monáe was a guest singer on fun.'s song "We Are Young." This song became a huge success. It topped charts in over ten countries. The song earned Monáe three Grammy Award nominations. On December 11, 2011, Monáe performed at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Norway.

The Electric Lady and Other Projects (2012–2014)

Monáe also sang on "Do My Thing" for Estelle's album, All of Me. In June 2012, Monáe performed new songs from her upcoming album, The Electric Lady. These included "Electric Lady" and "Dorothy Dandridge Eyes." She performed at the Toronto Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Monáe performing at Way Out West in Gothenburg, Sweden, on August 8, 2014

In August 2012, Monáe became a spokesperson for CoverGirl. In September 2012, she performed at CarolinaFest to support Barack Obama. In October 2012, Monáe appeared in a commercial for Sonos home audio systems. On October 16, 2013, Boston City Council named it "Janelle Monáe Day." This was to honor her art and her work in the community.

Monáe's first song from The Electric Lady was "Q.U.E.E.N.," featuring Erykah Badu. It was released on April 23, 2013. The song quickly gained millions of views online. Monáe said "Q.U.E.E.N." was inspired by talks with Erykah Badu. They discussed how people who are different are sometimes treated. The title is an acronym for those who are "marginalized." The album The Electric Lady continued the themes of her earlier work. It also explored new music styles like jazz, pop-punk, and gospel. The album featured guest artists like Prince and Solange Knowles. It was released on September 10, 2013, and received great reviews.

On September 14, 2013, Monáe performed with Chic at the iTunes Festival in London. She also performed at the Global Citizens Festival in Central Park. Monáe was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on October 26.

Monáe voiced Dr. Monáe in the movie Rio 2, released in April 2014. Her song "What Is Love" was on the soundtrack. In April 2014, Monáe performed at the White House for the "Women of Soul" event. This event celebrated American women artists who have greatly influenced music. She sang "Goldfinger" and "Tightrope."

On April 14, 2014, Monáe received an award from the Harvard College Women's Center. This was for her achievements as an artist and advocate. She was also recognized as the 2014 Woman of the Year by the Harvard College Black Men's Forum.

In 2014, Monáe hinted at a new project called 'Eephus'. She also sang on Sérgio Mendes' album Magic, on a song called "Visions of You."

The Eephus, Moonlight, and Hidden Figures (2015–2016)

Monáe at the premiere of Moonlight in 2016

In February 2015, Monáe announced that her independent label, Wondaland Arts Society, had partnered with Epic Records. The label was renamed Wondaland Records. This partnership would help promote artists on the label. Monáe became one of the few black women to run her own record label with a major company.

In late March 2015, Monáe released the song "Yoga" from the album The Eephus. The album reached number 22 on the Billboard 200.

In mid-2015, Monáe attended fashion events like London Fashion Week. She also worked with Nile Rodgers for a new Chic album. She collaborated with Duran Duran on their album Paper Gods.

On August 14, 2015, Monáe and her Wondaland Arts Society group performed the protest song "Hell You Talmbout." This song raised awareness about black lives lost due to important social issues. She also gave a speech about these issues on NBC's Today Show. She said, "We will not be silenced."

In March 2016, First Lady Michelle Obama announced a song called "This Is for My Girls." It featured Monáe, Kelly Clarkson, Zendaya, and Missy Elliott. The song was released to support Obama's initiative to help girls get an education worldwide.

In October 2016, Monáe made her acting debut in the movie Moonlight. She also starred in Hidden Figures, released in December 2016.

Dirty Computer and Other Projects (2017–2022)

Monáe at the Kennedy Space Center in 2016

While filming, Monáe continued to work on music. She was featured on Grimes' song "Venus Fly." She also contributed to the soundtrack for the Netflix series The Get Down.

Monáe revealed that she had put her third album on hold to film her first acting roles. She announced her third album, Dirty Computer, on February 16, 2018, with a teaser video. The album came with a film. On February 22, 2018, Monáe released "Make Me Feel" and "Django Jane" as the first two songs from Dirty Computer. The album was released on April 27, 2018. Monáe shared that Prince had worked on the album with her before he passed away. The film earned a Hugo Award nomination.

Monáe appeared in the TV series Electric Dreams in 2017.

On April 27, 2018, Monáe released a sci-fi film to go with her album Dirty Computer. The album reached number six on the Billboard 200. It was chosen as the best album of the year by several publications. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. In 2018, her production company signed a deal with Universal.

On November 15, 2018, it was announced that Monáe would receive the Trailblazer of the Year award at the 2018 Billboard Women in Music event. Also in 2018, Monáe co-starred in the film Welcome to Marwen. In January 2019, it was announced that Monáe would be a co-headliner at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. She also headlined the West Holts stage at Glastonbury Festival. Monáe released a new music video for the song "Screwed." She replaced Julia Roberts in the second season of the TV series Homecoming. On March 29, 2019, she helped induct Janet Jackson into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2019, she also co-starred in the film Harriet, about Harriet Tubman. Monáe had two more film roles in 2020: a lead role in Antebellum and a supporting role in The Glorias.

On February 9, 2020, Monáe opened the 92nd Academy Awards with a performance.

In September 2020, Monáe released the music video Turntables. This song was part of a campaign to encourage people to vote. It was used in the film All In: The Fight for Democracy. She also signed a global deal with Sony Music Publishing.

On July 4, 2021, We The People, an animated music video series, premiered on Netflix. Monáe performed several songs for the series. She won an Emmy Award for her work as one of the writers.

In 2022, Monáe played twin sisters in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Her performance received great praise.

In April 2022, her first book, The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer, was published. It explores ideas of freedom and identity in a future world. In May 2022, it was reported that Monáe would play Josephine Baker in a TV series.

The Age of Pleasure (2023)

In December 2022, Atlantic Records' CEO said Monáe had new music planned for 2023. On February 16, 2023, Monáe released the song "Float." On May 11, she announced her fourth album, The Age of Pleasure, would be released on June 9. The album was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Progressive R&B Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.

Janelle Monáe's Artistry

Music Style and Inspirations

Monáe has a mezzo-soprano voice, which is a type of singing voice. Journalists have described her music as "a soaring orchestral trip" with "blockbuster vocals." Her style includes elements of 1960s pop and jazz. Some people have compared her to artists like James Brown, Judy Garland, and Annie Lennox.

Monáe's musical influences include Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Prince, Outkast, Erykah Badu, James Brown, Grace Jones, Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and Funkadelic. Her dancing style in the "Tightrope" music video is similar to James Brown's.

Monáe is part of the Afrofuturism movement. This movement combines African culture with science fiction and fantasy. She has an alter-ego from the year 2719 named Cindi Mayweather. In her first EP, Cindi was on the run for falling in love with a human. Monáe explains that Cindi is like a hero who helps people who feel different or oppressed. She says Cindi is a "mediator between the haves and the have-nots."

The music style of funk from the 1960s to 1980s greatly influences Monáe. Her Wondaland Arts Society Collective believes there are only three types of music: good music, bad music, and funk. Monáe also calls herself a "funkstress."

Monáe's hometown of Kansas City, Kansas also influences her music. Her song "Ghetto Woman" talks about working-class black women. She wears clothes similar to her parents' working-class uniforms. She feels a strong connection to her community. On her album The ArchAndroid, Monáe connects the future cities in her stories to the struggles of poverty-stricken Kansas.

Janelle Monáe's Personal Life

Monáe has spoken about her identity and how she sees herself. She has shared that she identifies as non-binary, meaning she doesn't feel like she fits strictly into male or female categories. She uses "she/her" pronouns. She has often used her music and public platform to talk about being true to who you are and accepting everyone, especially those who feel like "the other." She believes that her music helps people who feel different or oppressed connect and feel represented.

Film and TV Appearances

Movies

Television Shows

Janelle Monáe's Music Albums

• The ArchAndroid (2010)
• The Electric Lady (2013)
• Dirty Computer (2018)
• The Age of Pleasure (2023)

Janelle Monáe's Concert Tours

Awards Janelle Monáe Has Won

See also

In Spanish: Janelle Monáe para niños