Janelle Monáe Robinson is an American singer, songwriter, rapper and actress. She has received ten Grammy Award nominations, and is the recipient of a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children's and Family Emmy Award. Monáe has also been honored with the ASCAP Vanguard Award; as well as the Rising Star Award and the Trailblazer of the Year Award from Billboard Women in Music.
Monáe began her musical career in 2003 with the release of her demo album, The Audition. She signed with Bad Boy Records to release her debut extended play, Metropolis: Suite I. It received critical acclaim and narrowly entered the Billboard 200. Her debut studio album, The ArchAndroid -a concept album-was released through Atlantic Records. The following year, she guest performed on fun.'s 2011 single "We Are Young," which received a diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America and peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100. Monáe's second studio album, The Electric Lady debuted at number five on the Billboard 200.
Monáe's third studio album, Dirty Computer -also a concept album-was released to widespread critical acclaim; it was chosen as the best album of the year by several publications.