2009年入围格莱美奖“最佳都会/另类团体”、吹牛老爹和嘻哈双人组OutKast全力护航之新灵魂才气歌姬

都会4部曲之2的概念专辑，香醇调融灵魂、节奏布鲁斯、爵士、嘻哈、电气等多类元素

第一主打“Tightrope”，恩师Big Boi意气相挺、嘻哈诗人兼演员的才子Saul Williams说唱助阵“Dance Or Die”

尚未正式出道，即于2009年入围格莱美奖“最佳都会/另类团体”赢得肯定。具有绝对灵性的闪亮黑珍珠，是吹牛老爹Bad Boy厂牌旗下年度秘密武器，时尚杂志盛誉：“截然不同的女伶”，获得身拥6座葛莱美加冕的嘻哈双人组OutKast大力推崇。一位相当有自己的想法、个性十足却不搞怪、大秀创作超实力的Janelle Monae！

传承Aretha Franklin、Roberta Flack等绝代Diva动人灵韵，香醇搭配节奏布鲁斯、爵士、嘻哈等多类元素调和成的Neo-Soul乐派，衔接Erykah Badu、India.Arie等歌姬的嗓音魅力，无不为出生堪萨斯州的Janelle Monae所营造出诱人声线、舒缓旋律而动容。大学毕业后加入乐团展开巡迴演出，同时吸引到OutKast之队员Big Boi目光，邀请她在“Got Purp?,Vol.2”特辑、“Idlewild”原声带中发声献艺。2007年率先发行暖身EP “Eetropolis Suite I Of IV：The Chase”，掳获严苛乐评一致讚赏，攀登告示牌热门潜力榜亚军席次。

酝酿3年之久才问市的首张录音室大碟“The ArchAndroid”，打造都会4部曲之2的概念专辑。传说中有一个世代相传的皇冠，拥有魔法及科技合一的力量，好比亚瑟王与石中剑一般，只有真正被选中的那位，带上皇冠才能发挥强大力量，并且散射耀眼光芒，相当远古时代与高科技文明的衝突，却也蕴含如马雅文化的神祕感，Janelle更希望藉著乐曲铺陈，做到令听众感觉像是看了一场丰富情感的电影之效果！以交响乐团伴奏拱出的“Suite II Overture”，瀰漫著呼之欲出的力量，紧扣双耳的温热度迅速发酵；接著化开紧张气氛的“Dance Or Die”，畅快玩弄放克灵魂的舞动节拍，更邀来嘻哈诗人兼演员的才子Saul Williams说唱助阵；持续摇摆Soulful香气的“Locked Inside”，或唸或唱的诠释精彩交替，勾勒现代与复古完美结合的正点悸动；在嘻哈和灵魂打的正火热之时，越显激昂处的“Cold War”，爆衝高压的电吉他声响，High劲十足的倒灌活力音场；剪贴Jazz、Funky、Soul、Hip-Hop韵脚的第一主打“Tightrope”，恩师Big Boi意气相挺，突破既定音乐模式，描绘变化多端之独到轮廓；狂野外放的“Come Alive (The War Of The Roses)”，用声音堆砌层次感的频率，令人大呼过瘾！独具品味的灵魂新女声Janelle Monae，是你不容错收的才情瑰宝！

Janelle Monae, "The ArchAndroid" (Bad Boy/Atlantic Records)

Janelle Monae, who draws some of her inspirations from Fritz Lang's classic sci-fi movie "Metropolis," likes to play up a robotic image — but the singer is far from programmed.

"The ArchAndroid," Monae's first full-length album, is the follow-up to her brilliantly crafted EP, "Metropolis, Suite I: The Chase"; "ArchAndroid" includes the second and third suites of her futuristic saga.

 The only issue with "ArchAndroid" is that there may be too much going on. "The Chase," which included the masterful, Grammy-nominated tune "Many Moons," ran five tracks long (it was later rereleased with two additional songs). It was short and sweet, and kept listeners yearning for more. "ArchAndroid," which clocks in at 108 minutes, is simply too long. Despite that, Monae still delivers something extraordinary, different and heroic.