Janelle Monáe, super funky, super talented human-cyborg, has been put on this planet to shake up the music scene and challenge the established rules of genre, gender and just about everything in between. She’s a line-blurrer, risk-taker and, as far as I’m concerned, she can do no wrong, really.
Now, she’s on a brand new mission…and she’s not going it alone.
The shape-shifting songstress has teamed up with L.A. Reid‘s Epic Records to formally introduce her creative musical collective — the Wondaland Arts Society, to the world — including acts like Jidenna, Roman GianArthur, Deep Cotton and St. Beauty.
Ahead of their upcoming Wondaland Presents THE EEPHUS EP due out sometime this summer, Janelle’s just dropped her new single “Yoga” with Jidenna, a departure from the spacey, experimental soul of her earlier releases into straight-up R&B sex jam territory, loosely inspired by the ancient discipline.
Npw, I myself have never found yoga to be too sexy. Sure, you have the ability to become really flexible for some fun extracurricular activities. But the classwork itself? Not too sexy. One time in college, I had an instructor who talked a lot about “creating openings” and had us all lean our pelvises forward by using one single, haunting phrase every time: “Spill your genitals onto the floor!” Anyway, I digress.
There’s much to love about Janelle’s catchy new tune, which sounds like a Ciara or Kelly Rowland slow-grinder: “Copacabana,” “Dirty Diana” and “Private Dancer” references within the first verse…and a friend named Britney, no less. Yoga positions. Hand clapping. Flexin’ beat drop. “Baby, bend over.”
The song is probably one of her most radio-friendly offerings to date, while still maintaining Monáe’s lyrical cleverness. She’s an independent, untamable woman, from her music down to…her nipples: “You cannot police me so get off my areola.” Who knew she had so much in common with Miley?
“Yoga” was released on March 31. (iTunes)
