Janelle Monáe is a dynamic artist fusing soul, funk, new wave, and Southern hip-hop with a theatrical retro-futuristic sound. The Grammy-nominated singer/rapper, songwriter, and producer emerged from Atlanta’s underground scene with science fiction-themed music exploring subjects such as oppression, identity, and liberation.

Monáe’s acclaimed trilogy of albums — The ArchAndroid (2010), The Electric Lady (2013), and Dirty Computer (2018) — all reached the Top 20, featuring gold-certified singles like “Tightrope,” “Yoga,” and “Make Me Feel.” Their fourth album, The Age of Pleasure (2023) celebrates the African diaspora with grooves from Jamaica, Nigeria, and Atlanta. Dirty Computer (2018) and The Age of Pleasure (2023) each earned Album of the Year Grammy nominations.

Growing up in Kansas City, Kansas, Monáe studied musical theater in New York before moving to Atlanta. They founded the Wondaland Arts Society and self-released The Audition, catching the attention of Outkast’s Big Boi. Monáe’s official debut, The Chase EP (2007), introduced the futuristic Metropolis concept and character Cindi Mayweather.

After Monáe’s feature on Fun’s number one pop hit “We Are Young” received multiple Grammy nominations, they returned with The Electric Lady (2013) which featured collaborations with Prince, Erykah Badu, and Miguel. In 2015, Monáe moved Wondaland to Atlantic Records and released the EP Wondaland Presents: The Eephus.

Monáe has balanced music with a successful acting career, starring in Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Antebellum, Glass Onion and the series Homecoming. Monáe’s sci-fi collection The Memory Librarian became a New York Times bestseller in 2022. They came out as pansexual in 2018 and nonbinary in 2022.