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
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Janelle Monae highlights the stereotype that African-American female artists are limited to R&B, emphasizing the need for recognition of their diverse artistic contributions.
In this quote, Janelle Monae expresses her disappointment in the common perception that African-American female artists are predominantly seen as one-dimensional figures within the R&B genre. She advocates for a broader understanding and appreciation of their varied talents and narratives, challenging the notion that their artistic identity is predefined or limited to a specific genre.
Themes
African-AmericanFemale ArtistsStereotypesDiversityMusic
In practice
Example use cases
In a panel discussion about diversity in music, this quote can be used to highlight the need for broader representation.
More from Janelle Monae
All quotes βI 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.
Janelle MonaeRead
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.
Janelle MonaeRead
Even if it makes others comfortable, I will LOVE who I am
Janelle MonaeRead
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.
Janelle MonaeRead
Perfection is often the enemy of greatness.
Janelle MonaeRead
Similar quotes
Writing is almost a place of dreams for me, and I don't have to give up anything to do it.
Walter MosleyRead
I sense Light as the giver of all presences, and material as spent Light. What is made by Light casts a shadow, and the shadow belongs to Light.
Louis KahnRead
I've told Kamal Haasan, Amitabh Bachchan, Naseeruddin Shah, Nana Patekar, I just want to touch you. They are the gods of acting. When people call me God, I say, no, I'm still an angel or saint of acting. I still have a long way to go.
Shahrukh KhanRead
Music is my mother and my father; it is my work and my rest...my blood...my compass...my love.
Jeff BuckleyRead
...few young poets [are] testing their poems against the ear. They're writing for the page, and the page, let me tell you, is a cold bed.
Stanley KunitzRead
If [hand-drawn animation] is a dying craft, we can't do anything about it. Civilization moves on. Where are all the fresco painters now? Where are the landscape artists? What are they doing now? The world is changing. I have been very fortunate to be able to do the same job for 40 years. That's rare in any era.
Hayao MiyazakiRead