Sunday Diva / Three From The Hip: Janelle Monáe

Sunday Diva / Three From The Hip:

Janelle Monáe

In my own personal big gay church there is a wing dedicated to those who belong to the Rhythm Nation. These divas got us to think, encouraged us to love and respect ourselves, made us feel sexy as hell and... most importantly, got us to dance! This diva  has revolutionized how we think about female artists, music and image and in the process helped raise the nation's consciousness.

The one, the only...

Janelle Monáe.

Her work may well be influenced by other artists - but only the very best!

When she came on the scene? No one knew what to make of her. 

This? This was unique. And fresh. And funky. 

Time and again, she defies our expectations, never satisfied with repeating herself or standing still. 

Liberated, aware, and articulate as hell, she's at the forefront of a new generation of female artists calling the shots and dazzling all they encounter.

If her name is attached? It's stellar. It's pop smart.  It has integrity.

And the beauty of it? 

She's just getting started!

The gospel according to her?

Well, her are three from the hip, falling from her lips.

The topic? What She Believes.

"I'm a believer that the more I'm giving, the happier I am, and the more beautiful my exterior will be."

"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 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 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'm about women's empowerment. I'm about agency. I'm about being in control of your narrative and your body."

"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."

"I believe that imagination inspires nations. It's something that I live by."

"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'm a storyteller who wants to tell untold, meaningful, universal stories in unforgettable ways. I want to do it all, study it all, and find my place in it."

"I have not lost any of my crazy, fearless, raw, soulful, eclectic side and I plan on continuing to tell universal stories in an unforgettable way."

Tightrope - Janelle Monáe Feat. Big Boi

Make Me Feel  - Janelle Monáe 

 Lipstick Lover - Janelle Monáe

"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."

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

"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."

"I have worn a tuxedo, but I have never covered up for respectability politics or to shame other women."