Non-binary singer, rapper, dancer and actress Janelle Monáe releases her highly-anticipated new single
BY ORLY LYONNE
Janelle Monáe is back in action with the release of her highly-anticipated single, “Float”—available now via Wondaland Arts Society/Atlantic Records.
“Float”—which Monáe recently teased on her hugely popular Instagram—was first heard late last year as the official anthem of ABC/ESPN’s NBA Saturday Primetime campaign, with Janelle contributing voiceover narration to promo spots highlighting the biggest matchups and stars in the league.
Most recently, “Float” was featured in an animated piece marking Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the #1 spot on the NBA’s all-time regular-season scoring list, shared across ESPN’s socials and James’ Instagram to reach more than 275M combined followers.
Monáe, without question one of the most celebrated artists of the modern era, is an 8 time GRAMMY® Award-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, performer, and fashion icon known worldwide for her inimitable style and visionary sound.
Monáe embarked on her film acting career with stellar performances in two milestone films, “Hidden Figures” and “Moonlight”; both films received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, with the latter winning the award at the 89th Academy Awards.
Her genre-bending debut album, THE ARCHANDROID, arrived in 2010 and immediately ascended to the top 20 on the Billboard 200 while also earning two GRAMMY® Award nominations including “Best Contemporary R&B Album” and “Best Urban/Alternative Performance” for the RIAA Gold-certified single, “Tightrope (Feat. Big Boi).”
Monáe has traveled the globe for sold out headline tours, a range of festival appearances, and special guest runs alongside Bruno Mars, Amy Winehouse, No Doubt, Katy Perry, Erykah Badu, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
2016 saw Monáe embark on her film acting career with stellar performances in two milestone films, “Hidden Figures” and “Moonlight”; both films received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, with the latter winning the award at the 89th Academy Awards. Her filmography quickly grew to include acclaimed roles in 2018’s Harriet, 2020’s Antebellum, and 2022’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”, to name but a few.
Recently honored with the National Board of Review’s 2022 “Best Supporting Actress” Award for her role in “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”, Monáe has received a long series of accolades and other honors, including three Critics Choice Awards, two Billboard Women In Music Awards, an NAACP Image Award, two Soul Train Awards (out of 13 nominations), an Essence Black Women in Hollywood Award, eight GRAMMY® Award nominations, and multiple nominations for BET Awards, BRIT Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards, along with many more laurels around the world.
