Nothing short of a musical breath of fresh air, the Kansas City born funk-stress will showcase tracks from her critically acclaimed debut album, THE ARCHANDROID, released earlier this month. Having supported the likes of No Doubt, Paramore, Erykah Badu, and Of Montreal in the United States, Janelle Monae has built a reputation for an exceptional live performance and this was cemented and showcased brilliantly at her sold out Hoxton Bar & Kitchen gig. The singer, songwriter and high funk-stress complete with full band entertained fans with a show prompting The Guardian Newspaper to dub her, “the most exciting new artist in the world.”
“Janelle Monae isn’t just the world’s greatest new pop star. She’s also some kind of revolution” – NME
In addition to this, Janelle Monae recently achieved the rare feat of gracing the cover of The Sunday Times Culture magazine before her stunning debut came out – quite unprecedented for a music artist at this stage in her career. The 24 year-old joins previous music cover stars – the likes of Madonna, Green Day, Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce and the Rolling Stones, making her spectacular entry into the title even more remarkable.
THE ARCHANDROID blends the talents of executive producers Nate Wonder, Chuck Lightning, Big Boi and Sean ‘P.Diddy’ Combs. Additional guests include renowned poet Saul Williams, the psychedelic dance-punk troupe Of Montreal and punk prophets Deep Cotton. It’s the next chapter to the story of Cindi Mayweather, the heroine of Monáe’s Grammy-nominated EP Metropolis, Suite I: The Chase, which captured the imaginations of fans and fellow artists alike, initiating a host of media to predict her as One To Watch.
For Janelle Monáe, however, the impetus remains – to create music to stir your soul and get your feet moving. “Musically, The ArchAndroid is an epic James Bond film in outer space,” describes Monáe who has carved out her own path by following her instincts. “I want to be looked at as a leader and businesswoman”, she says. “I really feel that music and artists have a huge influence in the way we think. My goal is to help bring as many people as I possibly can together with my music”.