janelle monae
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Janelle Monáe Says Dirty Computer Is a Soundtrack for Carefree Black Women Who Are ‘Beautiful as Fuck’
I woke up this morning to headlines of Janelle Monáe coming out as a “queer black woman.” Sure, this is something many of us speculated about and indulged over once we peeped the visuals for her new album, Dirty Computer, but to have the CEO, record label owner, CoverGirl, artist and actual black girl magician…
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Janelle Monáe Confirms She’s a ‘Queer Black Woman in America’
In the lead-up to her new album, Dirty Computer, which drops this Friday, Janelle Monáe has more than hinted at her sexual identity. “Make Me Feel”—which channels her mentor Prince and features a synth line written by him—references both Black Mirror’s “San Junipero” episode, a queer utopian fantasy in which two women find each other…
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Janelle Monáe Is Serving Lewks on Lewks on Lewks … and We Like That
Another day, another Janelle Monáe drop. This time it’s the accompanying visuals to “I Like That,” which we declared The Glow Up Anthem of the Week on Friday. So of course we’ve gotta follow up with the video—plus, it’s #MeCrushMonday, and we can’t think of a better soundtrack. We’re just glad she dropped the single…
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The Glow Up Anthem of the Week: Janelle Monáe’s ‘I Like That’
A little crazy, little sexy, little coolLittle rough around the edges but I keep it smoothI’m always left of center and that’s right where I belongI’m the random minor note you hear in major songsAnd I like thatI don’t really give a fuck if I was just the only one … Guys, we tried, J.…
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The Glow Up Anthem of the Week: Cardi B’s ‘Money Bag’
If you’re tired of Cardi B, I suggest that you avert your eyes, cover your ears, back away from the computer, and retreat to a remote and abandoned island for the foreseeable future, because at this point, it’s Cardi’s world and we’re just living in it. Case in point: This was a week full of…
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We Got the ‘Pynk’: Janelle Monáe’s Got Girl Power on Lock
Just when Drake thought he’d written the #GirlPower anthem of the season, here comes Janelle Monáe to remind us of the power of the … pynk. With “Pynk,” the latest single from her upcoming release, Dirty Computer (due out April 27), Monáe builds on the momentum of February’s “Make Me Feel” with another Prince-tinged melody…
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All the Stars: The Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards Made Oscar Week Much More Beautiful
Just when we were longing for last year’s heavily melanated Oscars red carpet, the 11th Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards luncheon reminds us that our next surprise win may be much sooner than we think … and we can’t wait. The delightful and dynamic assemblage of some of our best and brightest female…
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On Prince and Painting Outside of Black and White: Janelle Monáe’s Inspiring Thought Process on Dirty Computer
The first matter of business, if you haven’t already, is to treat yourself to Janelle Monáe’s latest video offerings, which the singer released today. The visuals for “Make Me Feel” and “Django Jane,” the two lead songs off Monáe’s upcoming album, Dirty Computer, are rich and stimulating—an entire 2018 mood board is captured in those…
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Double Vision: Janelle Monáe Drops 2 New Baddie Anthems on Us
In case you haven’t had your fill of African royalty this week (as if), Janelle Monáe dropped in on us today with not one, but two new singles sure to be in heavy rotation over the coming weeks, accompanied by stunning visuals that are already giving us fashion inspiration. In “Django Jane,” the artist formerly…
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Can We Get It on a T-Shirt? ‘We Come in Peace, but We Mean Business’ Is Our New Mantra
In an awards season full of gestures and platitudes in support of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, many of us wondered how the music industry’s biggest night would acknowledge an issue that has also plagued its ranks. 2017 was the year of both a sexual-assault-case win by superstar Taylor Swift and the start of ongoing…