Janelle Monae is really cool and down to earth (I thought she was going to be on some pretentious shit...lol)....I've already made it known that I really dig this ArchAndroid album...I hope Diddy promotes the hell out of her....


A Long Convo With... Janelle Monáe
VIBE.COM

Janelle Monáe has a lot to say. The left field singer-songwriter, who's set to release her full-length, sci-fi inspired debut The ArchAndroid on May 18, is no mere gimmick, with her back-to-the-future pompadour, crisp white shirt, black slacks and 1950’s saddle shoes. She's a rather serious, complex artist who isn’t afraid to wave her freak flag. Yet, Monáe still aims to entertain the masses. There is something refreshingly charming about a woman who jumps on tables during concert performances and makes genre-melding music that sound like her life depends on it. Yeah, she’s pretty interesting. K. Murphy


VIBE: What was the most memorable aspect of recording The ArchAndroid?

Janelle Monáe: We traveled to Prague and to Turkey… I had a lot of the songs come to me in my dreams. I had my recorder next to me in my bed and I was able to record everything that I could make of the dreams, thank God. We dealt with the music first. I write music for the people because I come from a working family. My mom was a janitor and my father drove trash trucks, and my stepfather actually works at the post office. I’m very connected to that society. That’s where my uniform comes from…I’m paying homage to that working class who turns nothing into something.

How does a song like “Tightrope” play into your homage to the working class?

So many people deal with so many obstacles everyday that they need to relieve some of that stress. So “Tightrope” deals with balance and not getting too high or too low. So I just really focused on creating art, songs that I felt would connect to people. I let all my fear go on whether people were going to like it or not.

It seems you’ve gained some famous fans. Can you talk about the experience of hanging out with Prince at his Paisley Park studio?

He is a definitely a huge supporter of what I do. I shared with him The ArchAndroid and he loved it. He has given me lots of advice. He is even encouraging everybody to go and get ArchAndroid because he was moved and touched by it. It’s very inspiring just to watch him. I heard his new album and its really going to be great.

Let’s talk about some of the other songs on ArchAndroid. Let’s start with “Dance Or Die,” which sounds very tribal yet funky. What inspired that song?

With “Dance Or Die” when we were creating that song it was a very spiritual, tribal experience. Saul Williams was there and we were just all sweated out. We were having a good time. We brought in some live horns and we really went to a spiritual place. I chose to rap instead of sing on “Dance Or Die” because I want my lyrics to hit home in a very bad ass way. We were all losing it and jumping on furniture. It was a Wonderland Arts Society tribe…shirts off, sweating… everything.

How much of a melodic influence did Michael Jackson have on “Locked Inside”?

Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder inspired that song. That’s actually one of the first songs that I started producing myself. I was really inspired by their chord progressions and the melodies that I’ve cried to over the years from both of them. I wanted to incorporate that feel. I believe that when someone dies that doesn’t mean they can’t live inside of you. You can keep their spirit alive.

When I hear “Sir Greendown,” I think about a Disney musical on acid.

Yeah… That color represents a very surreal place for me. It was inspired by Salvador Dali’s painting. But “Sir Greendown” also reminds me of James Bond. But the funny thing is the music was already written. I had gone to an Of Montreal concert and Nate, who produced the music, had stayed behind to work on a song that we were working on. I came back to the studio and he was asleep, lying on the keyboards. And I heard this sound, this hauntingly beautiful chord. It was as though he had been possessed and this had come out. It was scary, but so beautifully arranged. That combination just inspired the lyrics and the dreaminess and the psychedelic, operatic feel that it has.

You are becoming known for your live stage show, which is very high energy and interactive. Your three-piece band has this huge sound that comes off like there are 10 musicians onstage. How were you able to get that large feel from such a small outfit?....



Read the rest of the interview here:

http://www.vibe.com/conte...y-part-2-1

Damn I love this chick! She sounds like the real deal.

murph said:

I know exactly what you mean by that. She used to speak in a very pretentious manner during interviews when her last album was released. But now, she sounds, more, uhh, "real" when talking I guess, and seems less and less like a gimmick, so since "Tightrope" I've become a fan. Either way, this new album is good. Very interesting.

My band opened for her at Afropunk. She's incredibly sweet and accessible. It made me want her record before I even heard her music. Then I loved her music. Thus metropolis has been in the rotation for over a year now.

I'm SO getting this album!

Timmy84 said:

me too

one thing you forgot...

You forgot to get her phone number for me

She is real cool, I enjoy her music. I felt late for not knowing about her for a bit.

locked inside is dope.

NMuzakNSoul said:

Don't feel bad, it wasn't until I heard two songs pre-"Tightrope" that made me go "this girl's got something here". That was last year.

Timmy84 said:

hey tim!!

alright alright. well definitely following her now.

NMuzakNSoul said:

Right on.

Here's a review of the album... it's a great listen!

http://according2g.com/20...-g-review/

Clubkid said:

thanks for posting.

Keith Murphy, music journalist and pop culture commentator extraordinaire, makes his triumphant return to the org for a plug!

murph said:

If she's smart she will promote herself , diddy not going to do shit he on his dirty money thing and working with rick ross and nicki. I like her song i'm debating on if I will get it. I have a 3 song rule (I have to like 3 songs from the artist before I buy lol)for New Talent.

babybugz said:

If she's smart she'll giddyup as fast as she can and away from Puffy in those saddle shoes if she wants to last.

I really like her!

errant said:

Thanks for the love....!!!

errant said:

Nice ... work enjoy read your stuff!

I'm trying 2 get a feel 4 this new cd. It paints a picture, more like a movie soundtrack than an actual album but I like it. I dig her, and I will buy a copy just because artist with talent should be supported with $.

Come Alive sounds like she is channeling the Stray Cats.....love it.
[Edited 5/17/10 7:20am]