Janelle Monae is a young glamorous lady who has rhythm, blues and soul running through her veins. There is no blood in her music. Everything is clean. This is a sophisticated and emancipated woman who dares to step into numerous niches. She is not afraid to explore genres and reach out to other artists when she needs help.
The Electric Lady was her second album, bursting from ambition. The Electric Lady is contextualized as a futuristic concept. Behind pretentious and unnecessary concept, you will find a plenty of gorgeous songs. That’s what’s important. Forget about the concept.
Monae does not reinvent the wheel, she just reinterprets the golden age of soul and funk. She translates it to modern pop music. I mean, the first song you hear on the album is a duet with Prince Givin Em What They Love. Come on, you know what to expect here.
Talented singer and author had a helping hand from successful producers Big Boi and Sean Combs. When you know how to fly, you easily soaring. Monae presents herself as sophisticated but neurotic city cat who gets whatever she wants with her singing. At one moment, she is singing ballades (PrimeTime), at the other she is all into going crazy on the dancefloor (Ghetto Woman). There is also a lot of hip hop, electronic and funk out here.
The only thing I could survive without are instrumental interludes with narration. Megalomania aside, The Electric Lady brings you lovely melodies, potential hits and plenty of stars. In my opinion, this was how Lady Gaga’s artpop was suppose to sound. I guess Janelle Monae was more inspired an had better producers.
