The High Funkstress of Fierceness Janelle Monae made her network television debut last night on the Late Show With David Letterman. Monáe's new album The ArchAndroid dropped yesterday and her jazz, funk and gospel fused arrangement was just as amazing as the performance—which ended with her spinning around, taking off her jacket and donning a cape a la James Brown.
In other Janelle Monáe news: The Atlanta-based singer will tour with Erykah Badu and Pharrell Williams' N.E.R.D. Read the reviews at ArjanWrites and Creative Loafing. Also: The Atlantic is hosting a week-long virtual discussion on all things Janelle Monáe.
Alyssa Rosenberg writes today:
"[Monáe] really does feel to me like an entirely different generation. Part of it is her highly realized, mature aesthetic, a tuxedo she considers a uniform paired with science-fiction imagery and themes: her music is rooted even farther in the future than the time she's actually operating in. And part of that sense comes from the confidence Monáe and her Atlanta contemporary, the rapper B.o.B., whose first album, B.o.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray, dropped just weeks before The ArchAndroid, both project."
Monáe is signed to Sean Combs' Bad Boy label and Didy was behind stage during the performance. Letterman coaxed him to come out, watch the performance WHEN YOU JUMP ....
They needed to rip the seats right out from the audience! How could anyone have sat still listening to that??? So exciting.
(A shame, though, that Letterman had to bring the Talentless One out from the back. At least he knew better than to hog the attention.)
Posted by: Jim | 19 May 2010 at 23:51
YESSSSSSSSSS ! ! !
Posted by: Corey | 20 May 2010 at 06:31
Am I the only one getting a "not straight" vibe from Monae?
Posted by: Anthony in Nashville | 20 May 2010 at 08:16
She is Beautiful
Posted by: jacob | 20 May 2010 at 12:50
HOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTT
Posted by: Joe Buck | 20 May 2010 at 15:23
She is straight! But who's talking about that anyway? Her performance was dope!
Posted by: a.m.r | 21 May 2010 at 11:31
Anthony, yeah you may be the only one.
I've never once questioned Janelle's sexuality, not because I know already, but because I couldn't care less, she's amazing! That performance was fire! Getting the CD and I need to check her out live on that tour!
Posted by: Procrastination_Xtravaganza | 21 May 2010 at 12:25
I could careless about her sexuality. Her music is good but I must say that I love the marketing gimmick she's created with the whole outer space vibe. She knows how to play the public. Get those dollars.
Posted by: Ummm | 21 May 2010 at 23:21
If James Brown and Anita Baker had a child, Jannalle would be it.
Posted by: Paul Duhaney | 22 May 2010 at 07:34