Janelle Monáe is using her star power to provide financial backing for female directors whose work may not be seen due to lack of funding. In the photo above, Janelle is seen performing at the 2018 Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco last week (Aug. 12).
The 32-year-old singer/actress took time out of her Dirty Computer tour to partner with Belvedere Vodka to develop a campaign called Beautiful Future that provides financial support to female film directors.
Janelle personally handpicked the first four recipients of the Beautiful Future campaign: Megan Park, Janicza Bravo, Lacey Duke and Kirsten Lepore, who were instructed to develop short films inspired by the question: What does a Beautiful Future look like to you?
Two of the recipients, Janicza Bravo, left, and Tessa Thompson look-a-like Lacey Duke, are Black diectors who were influenced by trailblazers Shonda Rhimes, Jordan Peele and Ava DuVernay.
Check out Lacey’s short film below, titled A Beautiful Future: XO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_nHcR-NBag
Photos by MediaPunch / BACKGRID
Hey! She threw in red in her B&W color scheme. Looks good on her!
That’s exactly what I was going to say!
Can’t stand this broad..
Janelle(whom I was finally able to meet after many attempts) didn’t turn out like I expected it to(even though I do have a big imagination). But she’s a very beautiful, black, articulate, woman.
I hate her new album.
I could use a Belvedere Vodka spritzer right about now.
Only a performer could wear a Thomas The Train conductor ensemble.
I don’t know what it is but I never cared for this chic. Never cared for her music or understand the hype behind her. She annoys me. ?????She’s a beautiful woman though.
She does look like Tessa! Beautiful.
I dig Janelle too. She’s unapologetically black! “I Like That” is an anthem for a strange black girl like me ?????
I liked the film Lacey duke. I’ll be sure to look out for ya! Imma add you to my list.
LMBO I like a few songs on it.
Do tell! Was she nice? Distant? Cold? LOL
Aww no why not?
Go on https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9198cfd2927e53cf9096b81eb6dd2c2a91b0c8d6057b43fbc41e3619061ecb7d.gif
I am so ready for this work day to be over. If I didn’t have two client meetings scheduled this afternoon, I would be at home in the bed.
??
She plays into the typical black female stereotype.. overly aggressive etc..
Why is it that black celebrities are partnered with liquor companies. Society will always associate black folks and liquor.
She’s a pretty girl, but I just can’t get into her music. I have tried…really hard. Not my cup of tea.
Good for her, very nice young lady!
George Clooney partnered up with a tequila company Casamigos Tequila, Ryan Reynolds owns a gin company called Aviation, Connor McGregor has Notorious Irish Whiskey, Channing Tatum has Born and Bred Vodka, the list goes on and on so it’s not just black celebs. Everybody wants in on the liquor business and make-up industry along with fashion and shoes. They all have their hands in a little bit of everything they can. Good investments, I think.
lol really… I feel the same about white celebs and whiskey ads
Tennessee Whiskey! Country singers always sing about it. My son laughs all the time when he hears them singing about it.
awe that sucks..I thought her music was a breath of fresh air from heavily auto-tuned artist…lyrically different and song topics different from top 40 pop radio artist of course….and around her first album and ep she wasn’t about doing a typical video. I’m not so fond of the current album..but what works for me doesn’t work for you…
Im sorry I didn’t get the memo….When did Janelle incorporate RED into her fashions again?
it’s going to have to be one of those let me put this on while I clean up the house type of albums. that’s what it takes for me to get into an album that I don’t like right away…there is an Erykah Badu album that someone gave me and I sat on it for years because I didn’t care for the songs on the first 2 listens..I don’t know why I put it on again but fell in love with it…anyway this Janelle album im not feeling
so like one of the real house wives of Atlanta aggressive?
Yes. Exactly..all of it.
How is liquor empowering. Alcohol is a depressant….issa trap
Lol, cool. But you can tell she didn’t put too much thought in it. My opinion though.
Oooh. I think I know which one you’re talking about. Lol I remember being in the car with my mom and we were both like, wtf. ? I told her, Erykah must be smoking something else besides a blunt. Lmao
But in the case of Miss Janelle, she seems not too sure which direction she wants to go in. I liked her last album, it was well thought out and you can tell. This one? Not so much— maybe it’s the genre she’s pushing for, but it ain’t for me and that’s cool.
I suppose you gotta experiment ?????
George Clooney owned a tequila company. There’s a big difference between owning and being a spokesperson.
I thought it was just me. I wanted to like her from the start of her career because she wasn’t selling her body and wearing skimpy clothes like most artists these days and she’s always positive but I could never get into her music. I don’t understand her hype either because everytime I’ve seen her perform live her vocals were struggling. She’s beautiful but her music is not appealing to me. She was pretty good in Hidden Figures. Maybe she should stick to acting.
Yes, that is true. There is a difference between owning and being a spokesperson for these companies but they are still tied in with the liquor business. Do you really think they aren’t going to endorse their liquors? Of course they are. That’s what brings in more clientele, more money. Same goes in with black celebs. It’s not as if they are endorsing Thunderbird and Boone’s Farm, Busch beer, etc… Belvedere is a nice quality of vodka. She’s not endorsing Taaka lol.
This is a weird partnership. There is nothing empowering about liquor. This is just backhanded marketing to black women.
Used to REALLY love Janelle, the ‘Metropolis Janelle’…..I’m NOt as into this post-Diddy ‘Colorful Janelle’ at all.
Man Janelle Monae is so beautiful!!
Idk unless they’re going to give a portion of their proceeds to womens’ rights foundations
I’m here for it
I’m here for it
Side note… I hate TV dinners and prepared meals
Side note… I hate TV dinners and prepared meals
Me too! I’ll go to bed hungry before I eat a dinner out of a box…
Me too! I’ll go to bed hungry before I eat a dinner out of a box…
Just yuck
Just yuck
The preservatives in those meals are off the charts stay away I like steam meals the best for a quick bite.
LOVE that song. One of my favorites right now!! Such a great message!
A friend of mine met her at one of her meet & greets from her current tour and said the same thing. I’m a huge fan of hers and loveee the album and am hoping when I do finally meet her I’m not let down. ?
She does? I’ve never gotten that vibe from her. I love her current album. One of the best albums cohesively I’ve heard in a while. I’m not trying to knock you, tho. To each their own.
I’m a big fan of Janelle Monae and am so glad I decided to go to her “Dirty Computer” tour, even if I had to go by myself. I think her album is really good and I love her artistry.
Why is that when I mention black folks someone has to bring up white folks?!???? Nevermind!??????
To her credit it wasn’t long after Prince passed away. Janelle was VERY close to him. My meeting with her was related to him. So maybe she didn’t want to talk about it.
Right! I guess she’s not everybody’s cup of tea ?????
Always. Black people will eat doo-doo if white people do it. And after black people get criticized for it they just say “white people do it.” No leadership whatsoever.
Do you think we can afford to promote whisky with all the killing we do of each other? Black folks don’t need more liquor ads.
I liked music from both her second and first albums but lately am bored with her she seems contrived most famous people are