Janelle Monae is a fiery and energetic wonderball of a performer, one who sings, writes songs, dances and acts
Monae first tried her hand on Broadway, but soon realized that her true calling was music. And what a strange calling it is. Monae's music involves a futuristic vision centered around her android alter-ego, Cindy Mayweather, a hero and rebel within the android community. Her Metropolis EP, originally released on her own Wondaland Arts Society label and later on Bad Boy Records, opens the epic tale and serves as the first movement of her four-movement concept, which was later explored on this year's full-length, The ArchAndroid, one of NPR Music's Favorite 50 albums of 2010.
Mixing orchestral arrangements with funk, soul, pop and rock, Monae covers it all. Listen to her perform live in the WXPN studios and chat with World Cafe host David Dye.
Here is the playlist for the show:
| Nick Drake | One Of These Things First | Bryter Layer |
| Greg Allman | Just Another Rider | Low Country Blues |
| Ray Lamontagne | Beg Steal Or Borrow | God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise |
| Janelle Monae | Medley: Dance or Die, Faster, Locked Inside | Recorded Live for the World Cafe |
| Janelle Monae | Tightrope | Recorded Live for the World Cafe |
| Prince | When You Were Mine | Dirty Mind |
| The English Beat | Save It For Later | Special Beat Service |
| Belle & Sebastian | I Want The World To Stop | Write About Love |
| Tired Pony | Dead American Writers | The Place We Ran From |
| Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti | Bright Lit Blue Skies | Before Today |
| The Black Keys | Howlin' For You | Brothers |
| Fleetwood Mac | Heroes Are Hard To Find | The Chain Sampler |
| The xx | VCR | xx |
| Charlie Hunter feat. Norah Jones | More Than This | Songs From the Analog Playground |
| Willie Nelson feat. Norah Jones | Baby It's Cold Outside | American Classic |
| Herbie Hancock feat. Norah Jones | Court & Spark | ...Featuring Norah Jones |
| Dirty Dozen Brass Band feat. Norah Jones | Ruler Of My Heart | Medicated Magic |
| Justin Townes Earle | Harlem River Blues | Harlem River Blues |
| The Wallflowers | One Headlight | Bringing Down The Horse |
| The National | Bloodbuzz Ohio | High Violet |
| The Replacements | Talent Show | Don't Tell A Soul |
| Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3 | Resolution | Northern Aggression |