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Portrait of Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae

(1985) Singer-songwriter

119 quotes in 575 categories

Ambition makes her use every gift from her creator and aim to leave art that is more than music. She says perfection can stop greatness and that people often think African‑American female artists are all the same. She wants women to feel confident in many looks and keeps working to be braver each day.

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Janelle Monae is a singer-songwriter, best known for Memory Librarian.

Quick Facts About Janelle Monae

Born: December 1, 1985
Profession: Singer-songwriter
Notable works: Memory Librarian

About Janelle Monae

Janelle Monáe Robinson is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress who has earned ten Grammy nominations and won a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children’s and Family Emmy Award. She has also received the ASCAP Vanguard Award, Billboard Women in Music’s Rising Star Award in 2015, and the Trailblazer of the Year Award in 2018.

Quotes by Janelle Monae

You cannot police me, so get off my areola

Funny

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Perfection is the often the enemy of greatness.

Enemy

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I was made to believe there's something wrong with me,

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Even if it makes others comfortable, I will LOVE who I am

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Perfection is often the enemy of greatness

Enemy

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I can't pretend, I am not a pretender.

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Perfection is the enemy of greatness

Enemy

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I really want to encourage...

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I'm about women's empowerment. I'm about agency. I'm about being in control of your narrative and your body.

Being

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I want to leave behind paintings and sculptures that can inspire someone.

Artist

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I have lived and been through a lot and I challenge myself all the time to change for the better.

Challenge

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People don't ask Jay-Z to take his shirt off when he rhymes,

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Donald Trump is trying to build a wall. I'm trying to burn walls down and build more bridges.

Bridges

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I'm a believer that the more I'm giving, the happier I am, and the more beautiful my exterior will be.

Beautiful

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Black history is part of American history, and it should be treated as such.

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I have worn a tuxedo, but I have never covered up for respectability politics or to shame other women.

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When you realize it's your responsibility to be a leader and create the world that you want to see, you have to…

Leader

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I've been very blessed to have worked with two incredible directors - Barry Jenkins on 'Moonlight' and Ted Melfi on 'Hidden Figures'…

Blessed

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My mom is a great artist and she inspired me when I was young to sketch and draw, but I never took…

Art

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Things might not go as planned, but at the end of the day it’s up to me to take those risks and…

End of the day

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I believe it's time that women truly owned their superpowers and used their beauty and strength to change the world around them.

Beauty

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Becoming a CoverGirl is truly an honor and a gift. It opens up a new platform for me to inspire women to…

Beautiful

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I'm not a politician; I'm an artist. So I always feel the need to give the unfiltered truth, (or) what I think…

Art

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I don't do a lot of collaborations that I don't believe in. Actually, I don't do any collaborations that I don't believe…

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I have a great body, I really do. But I want to be taken seriously as an artist, and wearing anything that…

Art

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I try to find peace when I wake up in the morning. Sometimes I don't go to bed until 4:00 in the…

Morning

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I feel like I have a responsibility to my community and other young girls to help redefine what it looks like to…

Different perspective

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I believe it's time that women truly owned their superpowers and used their beauty and strength to change the world around them.…

Beautiful

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I would also like to open a non-profit organization for young girls who come from dis-advantaged environments; and focus on their self…

Non profit

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I'm always thinking about young people first when I'm writing music. Whenever I can reach that young person and inspire them to…

Always thinking

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I have lost family members from getting gunned down through violence and drugs, and all of that different type of stuff. You…

Family

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I really just want to encourage and inspire people to use their freedom in a positive way and in a way that…

Change

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There are some groups that for years and years have not gotten the rights that the majority of human beings have, and…

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There are months when I'm on a plane every day!

Day

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I've never viewed myself as 'just' a musician or singer.

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I will never stop making music.

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Silence is our enemy, and sound is our weapon.

Enemy

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I love the mystery behind things.

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I've cried over string arrangements.

Arrangements

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I always carry my classic black-and-white tux and custom-made George Esquivel saddle shoes.

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Janelle Monae by topic

Music (20) People (17) Art (13) Thinking (12) Love (10) Inspirational (10) Artist (10)