Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe Robinson (born December 1, 1985), is an American R&B singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress. In 2010 she released her first album, The ArchAndroid. Critics liked it and it got nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2011 Grammy Awards. On February 11 2012 she released the first single from the album, "Tightrope". Big Boi rapped in it. It was nominated for Best Urban/Alternative Performance at the same Grammy Awards show. It won Best Track at the NME Awards.

In March 2012 Monáe had her first Billboard Hot 100 top ten hit and No.1, as a singer on Fun's single "We Are Young".

In August 2012 she became the model for CoverGirl.

In October 2012 she performed at the BET Black Girls Rock! Awards and won the Young, Gifted & Black Award.

Monáe voice-acted in the American Dad! episode "The Boring Identity", which was shown 21 Apr. 2013.

On September 6, 2013 her second studio album Metropolis: Suites IV and V - The Electric Lady was released. It got good reviews. It reached No.5 in the Billboard 200. Three singles have been released from it: "Q.U.E.E.N.", "Dance Apocalyptic", and "Primetime". The album includes songs that she did with Solange, Prince, Erykah Badu, and Esperanza Spalding.

On October 26 Monáe performed on Saturday Night Live.

In November 2013 she won Video of the Year honor for “Q.U.E.E.N.” at the Soul Train Awards.

On December 12 2013 she gave the Rising Star Award at the 2013 Billboard Women in Music event in New York.

In April 2018, she came out as pansexual.

Monáe was born in Kansas City, Kansas. She moved to New York to study theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy because she wanted to be a Broadway actress. She changed her mind, and in 2001 she moved to Atlanta. She met Big Boi from Outkast there. They made the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe released her first EP The Audition in 2003. Big Boi told his friend Diddy about Monáe. In 2006 she was signed to his record label Bad Boy.

References

Category:1985 births
Category:African-American rappers
Category:Rappers from Missouri
Category:Musicians from Kansas City, Missouri
Category:Actors from Kansas City, Missouri
Category:Living people
Category:Singers from Kansas City, Missouri