Janelle Monáe

The Finnish audience may not know Janelle Monáe yet, but that is about to change with this performance. Although she has so far made only one EP and one album, the singer/songwriter sticks out from the mass both with her tuxedo & pompadour look, funky dancing and songs that bring to mind dramatic soundtracks, sci-fi and art rock.

The Kansas City-born 27 year old echoes Prince, OutKast, Erykah Badu and James Brown in her music, but also Grace Jones, David Bowie and movie composers, like Bernard Herrmann.
Janelle is a protégé of OutKast’s Big Boi and Sean “Diddy” Combs, and has released the EP Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) and the album The ArchAndroit (Suites II & III) on their Bad Boy label in 2007 and 2010. An instrumental version of the latter and a totally new album are coming soon.

Janelle has studied drama and won three prestigious prizes with her music. She sings on indie rock band Of Montreal’s False Priests album and Fun’s We Are Young single, which went to number one in US and to Top 5 in many other countries.