5 Things We Learned from Janelle Monáe's 'IRL' Podcast Appearance
Janelle Monáe has evolved, and she’s embracing it. The actress, singer, and songwriter recently appeared on Angie Martinez’s podcast, “In Real Life,” for a very candid conversation on various topics, including her new album, The Age of Pleasure, her sexuality, and the online discourse surrounding her self-expression, and much more. Keep reading to find out five things we learned from her interview.
Janelle Monae knows who she is
When asked who Janelle Monáe is, the “Float” singer had a lengthy yet clear understanding of who she is in the present moment, telling host Martinez, she is, “She, they, them… free a** motherfucker. I am not above making mistakes. I am not perfect,” before adding, “I have no desire to be perfect.”
The “Lipstick Lover” singer shared, “I’m very talented. I have a lot to offer. I have a lot to say. At my core, when, you know, I’m not in ego, I’m a beautiful person. I’m a giving person.” Elsewhere she noted, “I’m layered... I’m complex.”
Thinking about her future gave her anxiety
With her new album set to release next month, Monáe revealed that she’s currently at a high point in her personal life following a brief battle with anxiety. “There was a point in my life where I would be thinking so much about the future that it was giving me anxiety,” she revealed. She also noted that fixating over past mistakes “was keeping me still depressed thinking about what could or should’ve [happened].”
She’s in her thick era
With summer around the corner, Monáe revealed she is in her “thick season.” She told Martinez, “I love it… I’m embracing it.” However, she did appear to admit to suffering from seasonal depression, noting that it's been affecting her eating habits. “So you might see a little bit more booty; you might see a little bit more hips. I got my little pouch,” she continued. “I’m petite, but it can get thick.”
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Her new album will be very personal
According to the singer, many of the tracks featured on the forthcoming project “were inspired by experiences that I had because my friends could not find a venue to have parties.” After teaming up with Everyday People, the singer landed a safe location for her friends to party from 4 pm until late.
“It’s like the greatest experience on Earth, and I was just like, ‘Oh my God. If I could bottle this up and put it in like some type of bottle and sprinkle it around the world, I would do that, and I said I have to, musically, I have to capture what I’m seeing.”
Most folks did not get the message behind her iconic suits
Early in her career, Monáe routinely wore black and white suits that ultimately became her signature look. Despite criticism, she went on to appear on several major magazine covers.
“I remember when I wore those suits, a lot of people would push those respectability politics on me, and I hated it... hated it,” she shared. “I’m like, ‘You think I wear a suit because of what?… because I’m anti that…’ You don’t get the message,” she added.
“The message has always been about agency.. about me choosing how I want to express myself,” she continued. “It’s not about anything other than that. It’s about having the autonomy to say, “This is what I think is cool right now. I like how this looks. I’m paying homage… I want to do this… I want to do that.’”
