Janelle is my hero of the moment…great music, awesome dance moves and Saul Williams on one of her tunes! What more could I ask for??? Only minus is the album’s on P Diddy’s Bad Boy label…but hey you can’t win them all!
Janelle is like a young Michael Jackson almost in the way she moves…I love the old skool Jazz/Funk sound, attitude and look she has in her music/style/videos. I’m a huge fan of watching folk who can really dance too so I LOVE the video for her single “Tightrope”…especially towards the end of it when they all dance their little hearts out :cheers:
I think this young girl is the best thing to happen in pop music for ages.
I didn’t realise it but I picked up a Nice Up 7" around a month back which pairs her Tightrope vocals with an awesome Dub Reggae riddim!
"Janelle Monae’s first proper release for Bad Boy contains the second and third suites to her Metropolis, introduced in 2007 with an independently released EP (which Bad Boy reissued in 2008). The Archandroid is a natural extension of the retro-futuristic singer’s earlier material, an energetic mix of soul and new wave led by “Tightrope,” a single featuring OutKast’s Big Boi, her earliest supporter. ‘Musically, The ArchAndroid is an epic James Bond film in outer space’ describes Monae, 'in terms of influences it’s just all the things I love- scores for films like Goldfinger mixed with albums I adore such as Stevie’s “Music Of My Mind”, David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust”, and jamming experimental hip hop stuff like Outkast’s “Stankonia”.
They go on about Lady Gaga, and then this comes along.
Heard of her a while back. She does kick arse. Here’s hoping she hits the mainstream in a big way and shows em how it’s done… but for some reason, something tells me she won’t. Not really because of anything she’s doing or lacking, but it’s almost like she’s too talented… if that makes sense.
I’m hoping she hits the mainstream too…it’s about time we had someone at the top who is the real deal.
Even folk on the Melvins forum like this young woman! One member mentioning he saw her live and she was superb.
You can tell by watching her videos and live clips that she’s the real deal. The way she moves is incredible.
Totally agree.
Weird thing is, though: I’ve noticed that the pop stars since the 80s-90s all seem to have that ‘crappy’ factor that makes them more tolerable to people.
I mean, what I’m saying probably sounds like twisted logic, but I can’t help but notice that the ridiculously talented ones get a bit of exposure, but never to the levels of Lady Gaga, Madonna, etc etc. It’s almost like the general public can’t handle it; they can’t relate to it. These people seem like freaks of nature. Whereas, with those other pop stars, they ain’t the greatest of singers, or possibly best looking, or whatever. They don’t have it all in spades. Indeed, they’ve got that charisma, that’s the consistent thing, but it’s almost like the public needs that little bit of mediocrity they can sort of relate to, if that makes any sense at all. It makes them look at that pop star and think ‘I could do that’, hence all the imitators. Whereas, with a freakish talent, a lot of people are in awe, but cannot see themselves ever emulating it, so they don’t pursue it.
Funnily enough, those that choose to try and emulate their Lady Gaga’s get it wrong anyway.
I think it’s true…the mainstream public LOVES banality. Whether it be music, movies or tv. The only mainstream outlet where you do get good stuff now and again selling the most is books.
Tightrope should be number 1. The music is catchy and cool and the video is awesome.
Weird thing is, though: I’ve noticed that the pop stars since the 80s-90s all seem to have that ‘crappy’ factor that makes them more tolerable to people.
It’s not just an '80s/'90s thing. The really popular music is rarely the stuff that sticks around for us to remember decades later.
For example, the US Billboard top 5 songs of the '70s? It ain’t Led Zeppelin and the Sex Pistols:
#1 You Light Up My Life- Debby Boone
#2 Night Fever - Bee Gees
#3 Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stewart
#4 Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb
#5 Le Freak - Chic
I don’t know about the “mediocrity” thing. I think it has more to do with universal appeal in a different way. Yes crap factor is there but I don’t think these people have zero talent. I think they just have a different vision which is maybe less intelligent, more kitschy and dimwitted (therefore more universal) but also more approachable to the average person, more hook-oriented, more simple beat-wise) than someone like this Janelle Monae.
I can say right off the bat this chick is way too uber-black African pride to hit true mainstream. Her look, her style of dress, her sound, this neo-Egyptian African pride thing she’s got going in the photo above.
Also the video I saw contained only black people.
And the song was very percussive with not much melody (musical, not vocal) and percussion was a bit repetitive.
I’m not saying these things are good or bad but those are obvious reasons this is not going to be the next big single.
It is not nearly as catchy or memorable as a Lady Gaga hit.
Really complex music that is interesting and cool is usually not very memorable or catchy.
Good pop stays in your head afterwards. I don’t even remember what the song sounded like a day later other than it was clicking and complex percussive.
I don’t think these factors indicate that she has to become more “mediocre” necessarily (though she will have to “white it up” a bit to hit it big and not be so Erika Badu Marcus Garvey with her style)
I don’t know if her intention is to be huge or be on the radio but she will need to write actual memorable pop songs to achieve that and tone down the soul sista shit.
Either way I found the song and video interesting and I think she is very talented so thanks for that.
I don’t know about the “mediocrity” thing. I think it has more to do with universal appeal in a different way. Yes crap factor is there but I don’t think these people have zero talent. I think they just have a different vision which is maybe less intelligent, more kitschy and dimwitted (therefore more universal) but also more approachable to the average person, more hook-oriented, more simple beat-wise) than someone like this Janelle Monae.
I never said those people have zero talent.
If anything, they have a talent in being able to spot what it is that far exceeds the general public’s capacity for being able to grasp it, and excise whatever it is that does that, while keeping the main intention intact.
Now that you mention it, Void, the black factor… I really do think that is what’s holding it back from mainstream appeal.
There. I said it. Hate to say it, but it’s true. It’s a bit sad humans think like that. But, it’s true.
You can’t use Kanye as an example to disprove this either; yep, he did come out swinging with that George Bush comment. But, it didn’t marginalise his persona or music in any way because what he puts out isn’t marked by the same themes Monae’s image heavily incorporates.
love her. been following her since about 04/05. really like the Archandroid album, flows beautifully. had to get rid of it unfortunately. mushrooms and roses is my favorite cut on it.
she actually looks similar to my ex too, heh.
