Fan Mail: In defense of Janelle Monáe

Over the weekend, I got quite a few emails defending Janelle Monáe‘s decision to wear full ballet costume down the red carpet at Big Boi‘s premiere of BIG last week. I normally don’t receive a lot of emails over the weekend so I felt the need to respond.

I stand corrected that Janelle was IN the ballet and she was not a patron. But the fact remains that she chose to wear a tutu and ballet slippers on the red carpet when most ballet performers don’t.

There was a time when Janelle marketed herself as an alternative singer wearing her natural hair in a fro and sporting the latest fashions. Then within the past year, the alien from outer space persona emerged. The thing about gimmicks is that the public at large detests them. Gimmicks only work if they’re good.

I’m not knocking Janelle’s individuality. So don’t knock me when I point it out.

Hello Sandra,

I just wanted to correct on the statement you made regarding Janelle’s attire to the premiere of the BIG Ballet. For your information she was actually in the show and the outfit you saw her in was her stage costume for her segment. Thus, she was not a patron and you should really check your facts before publicly making incorrect assumptions!!

Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:01:42
From: Mind You
To: sandra@sandrarose.com
Subject: Breaking News Sandra Rose!

Hi Sandra,

To my knowledge, Ms. Monae is performing at the event you’ve posted photos about. I read your scathing remarks about her costume and I’m sure you don’t consider them to be harsh at all. Regardless of this, you know they are at least going to evoke such a negative response from some bloggers. Beyond this, you are clearly wrong about her merely being a patron at this event and now people will respond out of ignorance… ignorance you have fed them like the most deceptive hors d’oeuvres on a lackluster platter. I’m not the biggest fan of her and her very eclectic wear, but I think it is important that you correct yourself and note that she is a performer and that is probably a costume that she is wearing. She explicitly states she wears a uniform on the regular, but perhaps you missed. You don’t seem to be one to pride yourself on such gross inaccuracies, so I suspect you will correct this as soon as possible. Or maybe your pride will get in the way. You say her career is built off a gimmick, looks like your blog is built off of inaccuracies and can be likened to a house on sinking sand. Sandra, dear Sandra please don’t go slipping under again! Beyond this, you are also wrong for publishing the most unflattering photo of Ms. Monae. It looks as if she is playing ‘Ispy’ with the photog! How unfortunate. LoL.

Cordially,

Myself

MAJAHINEVERYWAY

Gimmick or no gimmick, she is so adorable and talented. Sandra, I like your writing style and I know it is sarcastic, but entertaining and not to be taken so seriously in my opinion.
http://www.myspace.com/millyly milly

Oh shes part of the show.ok then
http://30sumthin.blogspot.com/ EmmCee

I’m not big on “gimmicks” but I like her quirkiness. (big word!) I haven’t heard her songs though. Is anything out??
http://www.myspace.com/hune916 HunE916

I sure would like to see some photos of the actual performance with this getup on! Mind you, I am NO ballet expert, but good sense tells me that those shoes are sacred and they are not to be worn outside like a pair of Doc Martins! Also, that outfit doesn’t look very movable.

Even still, it’s a bit gimmicky. Hell, even Puff, Beyonce, and Miss Elliot change out of their red carpet clothes into their performance outfit! So, stage costume or not, she still looks a fool!
mizzdallas

One way another all artist have some type of gimmick! Anyways, I would like to see how BAD BOY is going to promote her. :)=
mizzdallas

I meant to say “or another”
Mz_Magnificent1

I knew you would be getting an email like that lol! She is a popular chick in the “A”…and her folks will ride for her! She has very supportive friends…which is most definitely a good thing.
H.B.I.C.

Is it that serious for folks to be emailing Sandra about this chick? She does seem like a weirdo, but I have heard some of her stuff and she has a beautiful voice.
kpakpando

Her set in the first act was easily one of the top 3 vignettes in the entire show. Personally I feel the garb takes away from her talent, but I appreciated not seeing flesh on full display in the name of being an artist… though I still wanted to run up and plait the rest of her hair.
Krysi – yes the same one

I don’t care where she was wearing that crap to, performance or not, that tutu was NOT the business…and for her to have this 1916 swag which gives her the ultimate GROWN WOMAN status and then turn around and be photographed in that Ivory disaster was huge LET DOWN. <—–PERIOD!
http://www.findentertainmentnow.com miesha@FindEntertainmentNow.com

Honest I think that this “gimmick” or “show” that Janelle is “putting” on is not a show at all. It is prob the real her emerging. Why else would one look so silly? And she’s the cutest anyway. So what if she wore that ballet gear on the red carpet. Even if she wasn’t in the show (which she was) that’s her choice. You know she’s different like that and other ppl on the red carpet do wacky things too. It’s whatever…
Hotstuff

I agree Sandra…even Big boi was featured in the ballet but he kept funky and wore what Big Boi would wear…

Now Janelle’s effort makes me think she’s trying TOO HARD to be different and we the public that’s not too familiar with her can see that…

Now the first pic is the Janelle I’ve grown to like but after “Morris Brown” came out and she parted from Big Boi she started acting weird…

Question: What does she think Puffy is going to do to her career besides push it further down in the garbage can???
Krysi – yes the same one

Anybody who signs to BAD BOY is a TAX WRITE OFF!
MissGauzzz

She’s entitled to her “quirkiness” I guess…but 4-real after a while it’s overdone and sickening…folks with real talent shouldn’t need to resort to this kind of crackery just to get attention, but to each his/her own! Her look is distracting to me…JMO.
hellava10

She doesn’t look natural. Andre3000 – his getups look natural, Grace Jones – natural, This chick – straight foolish – Stevie Wonder and the 3 blind mice could put it together better than this. What is wrong with just being you?
MissGauzzz

@ hellava10 Says

You’re right! I don’t know what the he!! is wrong with just being yourself, but you’ll probably get an argument saying that she IS being herself! Yeah…straight foolishness! When I see her all I want to do is laugh…I don’t even think about how beautiful her voice is or anything else because looking at her is pure comedy!
Sharonda

Her style is phony, and I agree with Sandra.She trying a little too hard and it’s noticeable.If you can’t keep it real with yourself how you gone keep it real through your music?Did she just do a 360 since everybody decided they wanted to be quirky?If she wanted to be different, she wouldn’t hopped on the bandwagon.Oh well..
NYCUTIE

These comments are HILARIOUS! She does look special.. Why Badboy? She would have been better off getting a deal with Muder inc..
London Marie

If she only knew how much I liked her in 06 vs 08…
I mean her whole look just sucks now! She used to
be fresh and vibrant. Her voice is so beautiful
though. I would have stayed with Big Boi. What in
the hell is Mr. Making the band going to do for
her?? damn shame.
luxe.li.

Sandra it doesnt even matter, Janelle is so popular in the A, the feedback she gets from the crowd at her performances prove that she works!! and maybe mainstream will never understand or like it, but thats cool!! she’s still HOT!!!
eastpointvet

well i would say that she did have one of the best parts of the show and she was the only person out of the outkast camp that had any actual ballet in there performance and it was quite hot
Brookiebaby0506

you are also wrong for publishing the most unflattering photo of Ms. Monae. It looks as if she is playing ‘Ispy’ with the photog!
—————————————————
What is this chick talking about??? Just about every group of pics I have seen of this girl she is making the same stupid look at the camera. If Sandra had to post only the pics she loooks good or normal in, then what in the hell would be left for Sandra to post???
shhhh

Maybe Puff Daddy isn’t as stupid as you think. Maybe he encouraged Janelle to wear the tutu just so Sandra could do what she’s doing now (helping her become a star).

I can say that JM could careless what the average person thinks about her, she’s always been like that. If you’re not on top of your game, she will see you as beneath her. So going on the Red Carpet in a tutu and being negatively talked about is nothing. She knows that comes along with the territory. But to get a blogger that gets thousands of views everyday, now that’s good free press no matter how you spin it.

I’m also really surprised to see JM at a Big Boi event. This had to be pre-booked before the whole signing with Puffy. For some reason I was under the impression that they were no longer on good terms.
Goliano

she chose to wear a tutu and ballet slippers on the red carpet when most ballet performers don’t.

And how exactly do you know this? How many red carpet ceremonies have you witnessed prior to a ballet performance?
sabrina

I was at the performance too and she was EASILY the best part of the show!!!

Even the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the New York Times said she was the best —

Basically she’s a real artist. She does what she wants whenever she wants and it’s not likely that one blog or a million blogs would ever change her swagger.

Long Live Janelle Monae

(Oh, and thanks Sandra for finally clearing this up about her being a performer and not a patron — even if you did get it wrong in the first place by being a lazy journalist)

and cosign on Goliano — Sandra exactly how many ballets have you visited? right…

Fan Mail: In defense of Janelle Monáe

GUESS WHO?

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