History of Janelle Monáe in Timeline
Janelle Monáe Robinson is a multifaceted American artist renowned as a singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress. Celebrated for her innovative and genre-bending musical style, she has garnered ten Grammy Award nominations. Beyond music, Monáe has achieved recognition in acting, securing a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children's and Family Emmy Award. Her impact and influence have been further acknowledged with accolades such as the ASCAP Vanguard Award, the Rising Star Award (2015), and the Trailblazer of the Year Award (2018) from Billboard Women in Music, solidifying her status as a prominent and groundbreaking figure in entertainment.
1927: Inspiration from Metropolis
Janelle Monáe's Metropolis concept series, including The ArchAndroid, draws inspiration from Fritz Lang's 1927 silent film Metropolis.
December 1, 1985: Janelle Monáe's Birth
On December 1, 1985, Janelle Monáe Robinson was born. She is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress.
2003: Musical Career Start
In 2003, Janelle Monáe began her musical career with the release of her demo album, The Audition.
2007: Signing with Bad Boy Records
In 2007, Janelle Monáe signed with Bad Boy Records to release her debut extended play (EP), Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase).
November 2009: The ArchAndroid Album Concept Revealed
In November 2009, Janelle Monáe revealed the title and concept behind her album, The ArchAndroid.
May 18, 2010: Release of The ArchAndroid Album
On May 18, 2010, Janelle Monáe released the album The ArchAndroid, combining the second and third suites of Metropolis.
June 2010: Smile Cover on Billboard
In June 2010, Janelle Monáe covered Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" on Billboard.com.
September 2010: Belief in Time Travel
In September 2010, Janelle Monáe stated in an NPR interview that she is a believer in, and a proponent of, time travel.
September 28, 2010: Performance on Dancing with the Stars
On September 28, 2010, Janelle Monáe performed "Tightrope" during the second elimination episode of the 11th Season of Dancing with the Stars.
2010: Release of The ArchAndroid
In 2010, Janelle Monáe released her debut studio album, The ArchAndroid, which peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart.
September 2011: Feature on "We Are Young"
In September 2011, Janelle Monáe was featured as a guest vocalist on fun.'s single, "We Are Young", which achieved major commercial success.
December 11, 2011: Nobel Peace Prize Concert Performance
On December 11, 2011, Janelle Monáe performed at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo, Norway, including her songs 'Cold War', 'Tightrope', and a cover of the Jackson 5's 'I Want You Back'.
2011: Guest Performance on "We Are Young"
In 2011, Janelle Monáe guest performed on fun.'s single "We Are Young," which later received diamond certification and topped the Billboard Hot 100.
2011: Grammy Awards Performance
In 2011, Janelle Monáe performed at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards alongside Bruno Mars and B.o.B, performing "Nothin' on You" and "Cold War."
June 2012: Toronto Jazz Festival Performance
In June 2012, Janelle Monáe performed two new songs, "Electric Lady" and "Dorothy Dandridge Eyes", from her then-upcoming album at the Toronto Jazz Festival.
July 2012: North Sea and Montreux Jazz Festivals
In July 2012, Janelle Monáe appeared at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Europe and the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
August 2012: CoverGirl Spokesperson
In August 2012, Janelle Monáe was chosen as CoverGirl's newest spokesperson.
September 2012: CarolinaFest Performance
In September 2012, Janelle Monáe performed at CarolinaFest in support of President Obama.
October 2012: Sonos Commercial Appearance
In October 2012, Janelle Monáe starred in a commercial for the Sonos Wireless HiFi home audio system.
April 23, 2013: "Q.U.E.E.N." Release
On April 23, 2013, Janelle Monáe's first single from The Electric Lady, "Q.U.E.E.N." featuring Erykah Badu, premiered on SoundCloud and was made available for download purchase at the iTunes Store.
September 10, 2013: Release of The Electric Lady Album
On September 10, 2013, Janelle Monáe's album The Electric Lady, featuring guest appearances and production from previous collaborators, was released to critical acclaim.
September 14, 2013: iTunes Festival Performance
On September 14, 2013, Janelle Monáe performed along with Chic at the iTunes Festival in London.
October 16, 2013: "Janelle Monáe Day" in Boston
On October 16, 2013, the Boston City Council named it "Janelle Monáe Day" in the city of Boston, Massachusetts, in recognition of her artistry and social leadership.
2013: Release of The Electric Lady
In 2013, Janelle Monáe's second studio album, The Electric Lady, debuted at number five on the Billboard 200.
April 11, 2014: Rio 2 Release
On April 11, 2014, Janelle Monáe's voice was featured as Dr. Monáe in the movie Rio 2, which was released in the U.S.
April 14, 2014: Harvard College Women's Center Award
On April 14, 2014, Janelle Monáe received the inaugural Harvard College Women's Center Award for Achievement in Arts and Media, recognizing her work as an artist, advocate, and feminist.
April 2014: Performance at the White House
In April 2014, Janelle Monáe performed at the White House as part of the PBS-broadcast "Women of Soul" event, celebrating American women artists. She performed "Goldfinger", "Tightrope", and joined in on the performance of "Proud Mary".
2015: Launch of Wondaland Arts Society
In 2015, Janelle Monáe launched her record label, Wondaland Arts Society, in a joint venture with Epic Records.
March 15, 2016: "This Is for My Girls" Release
On March 15, 2016, First Lady Michelle Obama released "This Is for My Girls", a collaborative track featuring vocals from Janelle Monáe, Kelly Clarkson, Zendaya, and Missy Elliott. The song promoted the Let Girls Learn initiative.
October 2016: Moonlight Film Debut
In October 2016, Janelle Monáe made her big screen acting debut in the critically acclaimed film Moonlight, alongside Naomie Harris, André Holland, and Mahershala Ali.
December 2016: Hidden Figures Film Release
In December 2016, Janelle Monáe starred in the film Hidden Figures, alongside Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer; the film was released to the public.
2016: Acting Breakthrough
In 2016, Janelle Monáe gained attention for starring in the films Moonlight and Hidden Figures.
February 16, 2018: Dirty Computer Album Announcement
On February 16, 2018, Janelle Monáe revealed her third studio album, Dirty Computer, through a teaser video on YouTube. The album was accompanied by a narrative film project, and the teaser video aired nationwide in select theaters prior to screenings of Black Panther.
February 22, 2018: Release of "Make Me Feel" and "Django Jane"
On February 22, 2018, Janelle Monáe released "Make Me Feel" and "Django Jane" as the first two singles from Dirty Computer, both accompanied by music videos.
April 27, 2018: Dirty Computer Album Release
On April 27, 2018, Janelle Monáe released her third studio album "Dirty Computer".
November 15, 2018: Trailblazer of the Year Award Announcement
On November 15, 2018, it was announced that Janelle Monáe would receive the Trailblazer of the Year award at the 2018 Billboard Women in Music event.
December 6, 2018: Billboard Women in Music Award
On December 6, 2018, Janelle Monáe received the Trailblazer of the Year award at the Billboard Women in Music event.
2018: Release of Dirty Computer
In 2018, Janelle Monáe released her third studio album, Dirty Computer, which was widely acclaimed and accompanied by a tour and a science fiction film of the same name. Several publications named it best album of the year.
January 3, 2019: Coachella Headliner Announcement
On January 3, 2019, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival announced that Janelle Monáe will co-headline the stage with Childish Gambino.
March 29, 2019: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction
On March 29, 2019, in Brooklyn, NY, Janelle Monáe inducted Janet Jackson into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
2019: Starring in Harriet
In 2019, Janelle Monáe starred in the film Harriet.
January 10, 2020: Monáe trends #IAmNonbinary on Twitter
On January 10, 2020, Janelle Monáe tweeted the hashtag #IAmNonbinary, along with a quoted tweet, which trended on Twitter to bring awareness to the community. She expressed feeling her feminine and masculine energy and energy she can't explain.
February 9, 2020: Academy Awards Performance
On February 9, 2020, Janelle Monáe opened the 92nd Academy Awards with a performance featuring Billy Porter.
September 2020: Antebellum Release
In September 2020, Janelle Monáe played her first lead role in the horror film Antebellum.
September 2020: "Turntables" Music Video Release
In September 2020, Janelle Monáe released the music video "Turntables" as part of the Amazon Studios' bipartisan voter registration campaign. The song is used over the end credits of the Stacey Abrams-backed film, All In: The Fight for Democracy.
2020: Starring in Homecoming
In 2020, Janelle Monáe starred in the television series Homecoming.
July 4, 2021: We The People Premiere
On July 4, 2021, We The People, a 10-part series of animated music videos, premiered on Netflix. Janelle Monáe performed a number of songs for the series, including "Stronger" and the title track.
April 2022: The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer Publication
In April 2022, Harper Voyager published Janelle Monáe's first book, The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer.
April 2022: Monáe publicly comes out as non-binary
In April 2022, Janelle Monáe publicly came out as non-binary on the Red Table Talk, stating that she doesn't see herself solely as a woman and that she feels like god is bigger than the 'he' or the 'she'. She also acknowledged having been in both monogamous and polyamorous relationships. Later, she identified herself as non-binary and added that her pronouns are free-ass motherfucker—and they/them, her/she.
May 2022: Set to act as Josephine Baker in De La Resistance
In May 2022, it was reported that Janelle Monáe was set to act as Josephine Baker in the TV series De La Resistance.
2022: Children's and Family Emmy Award
In 2022, Janelle Monáe won a Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Program for her role in the TV series We the People.
2022: Publication of The Memory Librarian
In 2022, Janelle Monáe wrote the cyberpunk story collection, The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer, based on her album Dirty Computer.
February 16, 2023: "Float" Single Release
On February 16, 2023, Janelle Monáe released the single "Float" featuring horns by Seun Kuti and his band, Egypt 80.
July 2023: Description of New Album
In a July 2023 interview with The Current, Janelle Monáe described her new album as "a movement" and "a soundtrack to a lifestyle" emphasizing the unapologetic pursuit of radical joy.
2023: Album of the Year Grammy Nomination
In 2023, Janelle Monáe's fourth studio album, The Age of Pleasure, was nominated for Album of the Year at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.
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