Her journey of discovering more about her queer identity (which was alluded to in previous albums, most notably Dirty Computer’s woman empowerment anthem "Pynk") envelopes The Age of Pleasure. "Lipstick Lover" is a hazy, reggae-tinged ode to the queer woman gaze ("I just wanna feel a...
The foundation of Monáe’s stage show is her penchant for the theatrical — a stylistic choice that evoked several Black performing legends, thus properly contextualizing the different genre tilts ofThe Age of Pleasure. Monáe frequently opts for exaggerated accents, animated facial ex...
Janelle Monae was surely what he had in mind as a mock up. On a purely visual level, Monáe sports a protruding afro somewhat like an alien antenna reminiscent of DJ Ruby Rhods’ inThe Fifth Element, and in tribute toMetropolis‘ Art Deco milieu she wears a Gatsby-period tux. The garb...
SZA'sSOS(nominated forAlbum Of The YearalongsideJon Batiste'sWorld Music Radio,boygenius'the record,Miley Cyrus'Endless Summer Vacation,Lana Del Rey'sDid You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Janelle Monáe'sThe Age Of Pleasure,Olivia Rodrigo'sGUTS, andTaylor Swift'sMidnights) wa...
Artists Who Define Afrofuturism In Music: Sun Ra, Flying Lotus, Janelle Monae, Shabaka Hutchings & More Afrofuturism — the "intersection of imagination, technology, the future and liberation" centered on the African diaspora — includes a history of classics and...