I noticed her hair first. I watched this African-American woman with an Elvis bouffant piled high on her head.
I saw a video of her at the AfroPunk festival in 2009. She sang, danced, and commanded the stage in her black-and-white tuxedo. Her songs about androids and aliens were not the typical topics of R&B songs.
After seeing her perform, I thought, “She should be a star.’’ After the success of her debut album, The ArchAndroid, in 2010, Janelle Monáe became a star — and not just for her hair. She became a celebrity based on talent, hard work, and yes, her uniqueness.
With the release of her new album, The Electric Lady, Monáe shows that black women can succeed by being themselves and being different.
Monáe has created a successful persona by combining a love of science fiction movies like Metropolis and literature with memorable songs. Unlike the current crop of mainstream R&B acts, she sings and performs without solely depending on her sex appeal.
As she told Essence magazine earlier this year, “I like skirts and dresses just like everyone else, but I had a message I needed to put out there. It was up to me to show people to show young girls there was another way.’’ Monáe shows young black girls that there is another way to succeed without selling out their ideals.
Monáe is not only in control of her image, but her music, too.
She has maintained her artistic independence by having her own record label and studio, Wondaland Arts Society. Wondaland not only promotes Monáe’s music, but music of other artists, creating a collaborative environment where black artists support each other. She also believes in challenging the stereotypes of what music black women are supposed to listen and create. Monáe combines rock, jazz, and even classical music into her albums to expand the boundaries of R & B.
Monáe comes from a long line of black female musicians who are unusual and brilliant. In contrast to the genteel girl groups of the 60’s who presented “acceptable” black femininity, LaBelle sang “Lady Marmalade” while wearing outrageous wigs and space age outfits. British artist Skin from the rock band Skunk Anansie also challenges the narrow expectations society and the music business put on black women. Her shaved head and emotional lyrics project a raw and authentic image that black women are not always privileged to show. Of course, the legendary Grace Jones most famously paved the way for unique black female musicians like Monáe with her gender-bending appearance and genre-mixing songs. These women showed that being unique is not only acceptable, it’s courageous and leads to boundless creativity.
Janelle Monáe has inspired black and multiple women of color to be OK with being a sci-fi-loving nerd while still being a Cover Girl. Her unique clothes and music are all part of her mission to expand the definition of black womanhood. While racism and sexism is still rampant in society, in her own small way, Monáe has made it safer for African-American women to be themselves, despite the obstacles they have to overcome.
As Monáe said in her new song, “Q.U.E.E.N.,” “Categorize me/I defy every label.’’
Ella Vincent is a freelance writer. She currently writes for Apartments.com, Culturemixmag.com, and Butlerway.com. She has also written for the Grio, the Advocate, the Windy City Times, Jane Dough, and Clutch Magazine. Follow her @bookgirlchicago on Twitter.