Sunday Diva / Three From The Hip: Janelle Monáe

Sunday Diva / Three From The Hip:

Janelle Monáe

In my own personal big gay church there are many wings. In one such wing reside those who have forged careers by marching to a beat only they can hear. They are  The Originals - unlike any other. Their styles created archetypes upon which many careers were built, but it all initially began with them. They created it. They own it.

Enter Janelle Monáe.

Electric, magnetic, eclectic.

This woman is making music history.

Her unique visual style is matched only by her innovative beats. And it's all backed up by one hell of a sense of self. 

Oh... and drop dead talent, dears. This woman has got it all - the voice, the beats, the sound, the moves.

Her drive and ambition is as intoxicating as it is thrilling.

And I cannot wait to see where her inner vision takes us next.

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The topic? Creating Strong Women

"One of my core values is to help redefine what it means to be a strong and beautiful woman in the music and fashion worlds and to empower the wonderful things that make us unique."
 
"I believe it's time that women truly owned their superpowers and used their beauty and strength to change the world around them."

"One of my mantras is, 'Embrace what makes you unique, even if it makes others uncomfortable.' I keep that with me in my back pocket. Shoot, I keep it in my front pocket! I keep it in my hair."

"I feel myself becoming the fearless person I have dreamt of being. Have I arrived? No. But I'm constantly evolving and challenging myself to be unafraid to make mistakes." 

"It's a big universe. To stay in one tiny place is doing a disservice to yourself."

"We don't all have to take the same coordinates to get to the same destination. Being a young African American female artist, I want to open doors for young black girls.".

"I always think about the next generation and creating a different blueprint for them. That's my goal: to let them know there's another way."

Tightrope - Janelle Monáe

Dance Apocalyptic - Janelle Monáe

PYNK - Janelle Monáe

And one last parting shot...

"I always carry my classic black-and-white tux and custom-made George Esquivel saddle shoes."

"I have worn a tuxedo, but I have never covered up for respectability politics or to shame other women."
 
"I'm about women's empowerment. I'm about agency. I'm about being in control of your narrative and your body."

"I have a great body, I really do. But I want to be taken seriously as an artist, and wearing anything that shows it off will be a distraction from the music. That's how my signature uniform, my tuxedo, came about. It's classic and timeless. You'll see me in black, white, and a pop of color on my lips. That pop adds a little magic."
 
"Honestly, I don't believe in menswear. I focus on what pieces are most timeless, transcendent, match my lifestyle, remain remarkable, and command intriguing attention across the room at an art gallery."