Janelle Monáe UK gigs, political and diva under one quiff
The list of illustrious admirers is long and diverse – of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes, Prince, P Diddy – and her performances have gather comparisons with the likes of Bowie and Grace Jones. But Janelle Monáe seems so comfortable in her skin that none of the big names appear to worry or intimidate her. The daughter of a janitor mother and a truck driver, herself having worked as a maid and at Blockbuster, she looks sophisticated and sexy in her gravity defying black power quiff and black and white clothes that seem to belong to Fred Astaire. Monáe is as much about music as she is about image, both being very similar creatures in the arty world she inhabits, the world of elaborated personas, theatrical performances and sheer originality.
Monáe is a diva, and, as such, she’s been defying pop music standards with concept albums that allure to a sci-fi world in which Cindi Mayweather, her alter-ego, becomes a messiah to the android community of Metropolis, a place divided between the “haves” and the “have-nots”, just like that other place we all know about. Not surprisingly, minorities are constantly in her radar screen, be them immigrants, homosexuals or blacks. The Kansas City-born draws inspiration from a wide range of musical and cinematic sources, Fritz Lang’s silent film Metropolis being the main inspiration in her latest album, the terrific The ArchAndroid. Prone to describe her urban-soul-hip-hop songs using words as transformative and liberating, Monáe clearly believes in the power of art. Listen closely to her and you will soon believe in it, too.
Janelle Monáe UK tour dates: London Alexandra Palace supporting Vampire Weekend (Dec 02, 03), London Shepherds Bush Empire (Dec 05), Manchester Academy 2 (Dec 06).