Janelle Monáe - is she or isn't she?
discussion (mostly outright speculation) going round the internet re:janelle monáe. here's my two cents: i agree with malcolm—them who say, don't know, and them who know, don't say!
not much interested in questions about her sexuality but am interested in her image and where it be coming from. i think i have a clue. blade runner, the movie. i'm sure this is not her only reference, and may not even be a conscious reference but there are at least two major details that suggest to me, consciously or subconsciously, janelle is into blade runner.
i know there are other references for "metropolis," but the hair-do and the android thingy are what seal the deal for me. for those not up on blade runner, it's a 1982 sci-fi movie by director ridley scott, featuring harrison ford, sean young, rutger hauer among a number of others. the movie is based on the novel do androids dream of electric sheep? by philip k. dick. blade runner is considered a classic and influential movie.
the story follows harrison's character who is trying to track down and terminate four rogue replicants (i.e. robots who look to be human). if you haven't seen the movie and you have any interest in sci-fi, utopia/dystopia, robots, or speculation about the future of urban human life, you should check out the film.
sean young plays a character called rachel, who intrigues harrison's character and with whom he eventually falls in love. their relationship revolves around the question of what is the real difference, if any, between humans and replicants and how can a person tell which is which. it's no big surprise to find out rachel is a replicant, albeit the newest (and secret) model. how this plays out in their relationship is the major build up in the movie.
and here is the janelle reference for both the hair-do and her claim to be an android. "But I only date androids. Nothing like an android--they don't cheat on you." that's because androids don't change...
i include a photo, so you can see what i'm talking about with the hair style. and if you view the movie and juxtapose that against the content of janelle's two albums, i think the influences will be obvious. (you could even argue for references in terms of wardrobe style and dance style, particularly from the android character played by darryl hannah) but neither is necessary to enjoy the other, i.e. you can like the music without knowing about the movie, and vice versa, you can dig the movie and not have heard janelle's music. but, boy, it's a trip, when you put them together.
and that's all i have to say...
—kalamu