“I was surprised that I was nominated,” Monae, who received a nod for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for her song “Many Moons,” says. “It really is such an honor.”
After years of grinding on Atlanta’s underground music scene and signing for a while with Big Boi’s Purple Ribbon imprint, the Kansas City native finally landed at a label that’s dedicated to helping her fully realize her seemingly limitless potential-Bad Boy Records. Granted, Bad Boy is most known for shiny suits, reality television shows and Diddy’s larger than life personality, but as it pertains to Monaé’s career, the approach has been much different.
Recognizing that Monaé (who has been likened to Prince, Michael Jackson and Outkast) is a unique talent, Diddy has basically left her and her crew of talented misfits-the Wondaland Arts Society—to do what they do best. And as evidenced by her Grammy nomination, the results have been rewarding. Since her EP, Metropolis Suite 1: The Chase (Special Edition), was re-released last August with two additional songs, she’s been met with heavy praise, and rightly so.
“I’m constantly creating art,” she says, adding that even though her debut album, due out in late spring, is pretty much finished she’s still recording.
Weaving socially conscious themes in with outer-space-like production and celestial vocals, Monaé’s music is more than simple songs, but an experience-much like her wildly energetic stage shows.
“Right before I get on stage, I don’t pee,” she says, holding back laughter. ” So when I get on stage, I can do those crazy dance moves.”
She giggles slightly at her own silliness, revealing if even just for a second a lighter side of her. Since she reemerged on the scene with her neo-equestrian clothes and hair style , her image has been contained and deliberate-a crucial part of the fantasy that she’s weaved with her music and detailed narratives. Maybe that’s why when she’s asked who she’d most like to work with from the past, Mona Lisa is one of the first names that she drops. As an artist, she respects the inspiration that breathes from paying attention to detail.
“I don’t like sticking to the same formula when I approach a song,” she says. “I want to figure out what I can come up with by experimenting. I want to be remembered as somebody who most definitely didn’t do things the traditional way.” –jacinta howard
