There is no doubt about the future of Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe: Photo by Creative Loafing

Retro-rock-soul singer Janelle Monáe hit the stage of the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Friday June 19 in front of a crowd of thousands. Surprisingly she was merely the opening act for a much larger show and played a 20 minute set to an inattentive crowd. While Monáe flitted around the large stage bursting with her smooth vocals and vintage inspired flavor, few in front of her had any idea who she was let alone that she had been nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in music, had worked with hip-hop princes OutKast and was personally signed by Sean "Diddy" Coombs to his label imprint Bad Boy Records.

Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Monáe eventually made her way to Atlanta after a brief detour in New York City to attend a musical theatre school. Atlanta was where Monáe was first introduced to Big Boi of OutKast which lead to her multiple appearances on the group's Idlewild record. She also founded the Wondaland Arts Society, a group of up and coming musicians that shared a similar outlook on the business. In 2007, Monáe released Metropolis Suite I of IV: The Chase which was well-received by both critics and fans, but largely ignored by the general public. 

Since signing to Bad Boy, Monáe has continued to tour and record although the January 2009 release date for her new album had to be postponed due to her busy schedule. In February she attended the Grammy Awards as a nominee in the category Best Urban/Alternative Performance for her song "Many Moons."  In April, she released a mini-film for the song which is just now beginning to garner attention and can be watched below. Monáe certainly has the talent and chops to make it in music, the question now is just if the American public will sit up and listen to a pompadour wearing, neo-soul, rock inspired, energetic and powerful female vocal talent. 

Janelle Monáe is currently opening for No Doubt and Paramore on No Doubt's Summer 2009 tour through June 27. She'll follow that up with performances at the Hollywood Bowl and Louisiana's Super Dome during the Essence Festival. Her new album, Metropolis Suites II & III, is slated for release later this year.