Janelle Monáe came out as queer and pansexual in a new Rolling Stone cover story.
“Being a queer black woman in America,” she says, taking a breath as she comes out, “someone who has been in relationships with both men and women – I consider myself to be a free-ass motherfucker.” She initially identified as bisexual, she clarifies, “but then later I read about pansexuality and was like, ‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too.' I'm open to learning more about who I am.”
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The profile continues:
“She always ducked questions about her sexuality (“I only date androids” was a stock response) but embedded the real answers in her music. “If you listen to my albums, it's there,” she says. She cites “Mushrooms & Roses” and “Q.U.E.E.N.,” two songs that reference a character named Mary as an object of affection. In the 45-minute film accompanying Dirty Computer, “Mary Apple” is the name given to female “dirty computers” taken captive and stripped of their real names, one of whom is played by Tessa Thompson. (The actress has been rumored to be Monáe's girlfriend, though Monáe won't discuss her dating life.) The original title of “Q.U.E.E.N.,” she notes, was “Q.U.E.E.R.,” and you can still hear the word on the track's background harmonies.”
Read the full cover story HERE.
Monáe is debuting “Dirty Computer”, a 44-minute “emotion picture” accompanying the album of the same name, today on MTV and BET.
The film, which co-stars Tessa Thompson (“Thor,” “Selma,” Westworld”) is described in a press release as “the story of a young woman named Jane 57821 (Janelle Monae), who is living in a totalitarian near-future society where citizens are referred to as ‘computers.' … ‘Dirty Computer' explores humanity and what truly happens to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness when mind and machines merge, and when the government chooses fear over freedom.” It was produced by Monae and directed by Andrew Donoho and Chuck Lightning, and features collaborations with video directors Alan Ferguson, Emma Westenberg and Lacey Duke.
Here's the trailer:
