Janelle Monae was utterly electric Monday night as she performed under the New York City skyline at the release party for her new album The Electric Lady.
The Source was on the scene at the soiree, which was sponsored by Target, CoverGirl, and Sonos, and completely transformed Pier 84 into Monae’s personal playground complete with an Electric Lady ship docked on the Hudson River.
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Notable attendees included Miguel, B.o.B., Angie Martinez, Toccara Jones, Erykah Badu, DJ Crash Crash, Melanie Fiona, Wynter Gordon, Ro James, as well as industry execs including Kevin Liles, Michael Kyser, and Julie Greenwald.
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Guests were treated to an open bar and complimentary CoverGirl makeup passed around by dozens of models decked out in Monae’s signature look – black and white outfits, suspenders, and the singer’s signature hair coif.
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The shindig began with former MTV VJ La La Anthony taking the stage to introduce the man behind Monae – Diddy, who burst on stage and told the crowd that Monae was “the hardest working woman in show business.”
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Monae started the show with “Dance Apocalyptic,” a song off her new album. She continued with “Cold War,” one of her most popular songs off debut album The ArchAndroid, and dedicated it to fans who had been the subject of discrimination. The stage may have been big, and the skyline even bigger, but that didn’t stop Monae from owning every step she took.
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Monae then brought up rapper Big Boi, who Diddy had earlier said was in Atlanta, to perform “Tightrope,” another crowd favorite from her first album. But the highlight of the night was definitely a cover of the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” an exclusive only available on her target deluxe edition.
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As Monae prepared to close the show with the new album’s title track, it was clear the night wasn’t over yet. She brought back both Diddy and Big Boi to the stage for an unplanned number. “Real talent isn’t choreographed,” Diddy told the crowd. “It’s unrehearsed.” The trio hugged, danced, and partied, while dozens of dancers joined them on stage.
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Finally, Monae ended with her well-known hit “Come Alive,” during which she commanded the large crowd to crouch down on the floor. After more of her signature dance moves and even some crowd surfing (yep!), Monae took a bow and looked toward the Hudson just as fireworks began to hit the sky.
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The Electric Lady, Monae’s sophomore album, features guest artists Prince, Solange, Erykah Badu, and Miguel, and dropped on Tuesday.
-Alexandra Finkel
