I'm a storyteller who wants to tell untold, meaningful, universal stories in unforgettable ways. I want to do it all, study it all, and find my place in it.
Janelle MonaeRead
I have a great body, I really do. But I want to be taken seriously as an artist, and wearing anything that shows it off will be a distraction from the music. That's how my signature uniform, my tuxedo, came about. It's classic and timeless. You'll see me in black, white, and a pop of color on my lips. That pop adds a little magic.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of being taken seriously in one's craft over physical appearance.
In this quote, Janelle Monae expresses how she values her artistry and strives to be recognized for her musical talents rather than her physical appearance. She describes her choice of a signature tuxedo as a means to maintain focus on her music, suggesting that revealing too much of her body could detract from her artistic expression. The addition of a pop of color symbolizes her unique flair and creativity within a classic presentation.
In practice
In a speech about personal branding at a fashion event.
I'm a storyteller who wants to tell untold, meaningful, universal stories in unforgettable ways. I want to do it all, study it all, and find my place in it.
Redefine what it means to be sexy and what it means to be a woman. Showing my skin is not what makes me sexy. I like skirts and dresses just like everyone else, but I had a message I needed to put out there. It was up to me to show people and young girls there was another way.
Even if it makes others comfortable, I will LOVE who I am
I have not lost any of my crazy, fearless, raw, soulful, eclectic side and I plan on continuing to tell universal stories in an unforgettable way.
Perfection is often the enemy of greatness.
It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.
If you find yourself asking yourself (and your friends), "Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?" chances are you are. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death.
Fashion must be the most intoxicating release from the banality of the world.
There is no must in art because art is free.
I do feel that I have to use my voice for those that don't have one. I have to do the best I can in my own work to represent my culture, represent the women of my country, of Latin America. What we stand for. What we're made of.
All art is an abstraction to some degree.
The reason one writes isn't the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.