I just can't figure out Janelle Monae: she's girl, she's boy, she's part Michael Jackson, part James Brown, a bit Lauryn Hill, a little Ella Fitzgerald, kinda Grace Jones, futuristic, from the past. Her music is soulful, classical, rock n' roll, doo-wop, jazz, rockabilly.
A freshly-pressed, crisp white shirt, bow tie, black tuxedo and 50's-style saddle shoes are her uniform. Her signature look includes the perfectly-coiffed pompadour. She moonwalks just like the King of Pop (I've never seen a chick do it as perfectly as Janelle). She belts out notes like the greatest of cabaret singers. She is, quite frankly, the "whole package."
In today's tired music scene, filled with too many lip-syncing Barbie robots, this adorable and classy five-foot wonder from Kansas is totally rocking my world.
Check out the new video to her single, "Tightrope" (from her album The ArchAndroid), and you'll know what I'm talking about. If you're not compelled to dance while listening to this song, then something is wrong with you.
