Janelle Monáe isn't holding back for anyone anymore — not even herself. On the heels of her latest album, The Age of Pleasure, the singer/actress is having the time of her life by being her unadulterated self. Referring to herself as she/they/F.A.M. (an acronym for Free A** Motherf*****), the starlet decided to take ownership of who she is at this stage in her life and is giving others permission to do the same.
Although it's been five years since she released Dirty Computer, fans haven't lost their excitement for Monáe's refreshing take on the music industry and life — myself included. I'm a huge fan, and I'm not ashamed to say I've followed her journey since the release of her first EP Metropolis: The Chase Suite in 2007.
She burst on the scene with her classic tuxedos, defying gender norms and hasn't showed any signs of slowing down. During her interview on an episode of Angie Martinez's IRL podcast, Janelle made it clear she's never cared about respectability politics. She said, "The message has always been about agency. About me choosing how I want to dress." And with The Age of Pleasure, Janelle no longer leaves room for people to make their interpretation of who she is.
The Age of Pleasure Review
It was love at first listen, with the songs masterfully blending together. It's clear that Janelle Monáe wants people to feel good. She doesn't want us to ignore that life is full of tough moments — because I think we're all feeling post-pandemic effects in one way or the other — she wants us to learn how to be okay feeling good in the lives we have. And sometimes that may require us to break free from things that haven't allowed us to do so.
In her song "Float," Janelle sings, "I used to walk into the room, head down. I don't walk. Now I float." Hearing that line as someone who's just started feeling comfortable being all of the things she was once ridiculed for hit me like a ton of bricks. It felt like Janelle personally said, "Hey, I've been there and I want you to know you get to choose to embrace yourself regardless of who didn't support it. You need to love you and enjoy your life."
Clearly she didn't actually come into my bedroom and say that, but having "Float" as the opening song for her album feels very much like a love letter to those of us with memories of being misunderstood or bullied. From there, songs like "Champagne Sh-t" and "Water Slide" encourage people to let loose and have fun with our bodies. The music is infused with beats that pay homage to the African diaspora, and when combined with her universal message of finding pleasure, it creates a gratifying soul experience that's timely.
Overall, The Age of Pleasure exceeded what I expected because it helped me come to terms with my own biases about pleasure and how others should experience it. As much as I want to call this album a hidden gem, there's nothing "hidden" about it — it's proudly bold and beautiful. Also, I don't know if this was the intended effect but, with each listen my skin seems to get clearer. I suppose she meant it when she sang "Skin looking good 'cause we stress free" in "Haute." 🤔
Not only is Janelle telling the world who she is but she's also saying she's going to create beautiful moments in this lifetime and we're free to join her if we want. I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm definitely joining the party train so I can create my own beautiful moments.
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Header image via Arturo Holmes / Staff / Getty Images Entertainment
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