Ever since Janelle Monáe kicked off the rollout for their new album The Age Of Pleasure last year with a series of risqué vacation photos, the multitalented, nonbinary singer has been a hot topic of discussion online — particularly from those fans who noted the divergent approach to presentation compared to Monáe’s early career.
Monáe, though, sees these apparent recent transformations as pulling together “every version” of herself, as she told the creators of the StyleLikeU YouTube channel. Dressed for the first time in months in one of her signature black-and-white suits, Monáe shed tears as she talked about honoring those past versions of herself, as well as the struggle to reconcile her old looks with fans who critiqued her “Monopoly Man” era.
While it was clear that Monáe kept a sense of humor about the jokes at the time, the multidisciplinary artist admitted during their StyleLikeU interview that they had some self-consciousness about their “boobies” during the tuxedo era. Now, of course, Janelle says she feels “much happier when my titties are out.”
The whole interview is worth checking out for how Monáe addresses patriarchy, her sexuality, and coming to terms with her body as it grows and changes. Check it out above.