Janelle Monáe Biography: Janelle Monáe Robinson born December 1, 1985 is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress. Over the course of her career, she has earned ten Grammy Award nominations and has won both a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children’s and Family Emmy Award. Monáe has also been recognized with several prestigious honors, including the ASCAP Vanguard Award, Billboard’s Rising Star Award in 2015, and Trailblazer of the Year Award in 2018.
Janelle Monáe Biography
Janelle Monáe is an American recording artist, actress, and model, signed to their own label, Wondaland Arts Society, in partnership with Atlantic Records. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Monáe is the child of Janet, a janitor, and Michael Robinson Summers, a truck driver. Their debut full-length studio album, The ArchAndroid, was released in 2010. In 2012, Monáe gained mainstream recognition as a featured vocalist on Fun.’s chart-topping single “We Are Young,” which marked their first entry into the U.S. Top 10. Over the years, their music has earned six Grammy Award nominations. In addition to their music career, Monáe has earned critical acclaim for their acting. They have played major roles in films such as Moonlight (2016), Hidden Figures (2016), Lady and the Tramp (2019), and Harriet (2019).
Janelle Monáe Biography 2025 Details
| Birth name |
Janelle Monáe Robinson |
| Born |
December 1, 1985 (age 39)
Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Genres |
- R&B
- pop
- funk
- psychedelic soul
- hip hop
- progressive soul
- Indie soul
|
| Occupations |
- Singer
- songwriter
- rapper
- actress
|
| Discography |
Janelle Monáe discography |
| Years active |
2003–present |
| Labels |
- Wondaland
- Epic
- Bad Boy
- Atlantic
|
| Formerly of |
Purple Ribbon All-Stars |
| Category |
Singers Bio |
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About Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe Robinson is an American singer, songwriter, rapper and actress. She has received ten Grammy Award nominations, and is the recipient of a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children’s and Family Emmy Award.
Janelle Monáe Wiki
- Born: 1 December 1985 (age 39 years), Kansas City, Kansas, United States
- Parents: Michael Robinson Summers
- Height: 1.52 m
- Awards: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture ·
- TV shows: Homecoming, Sex, Explained ·
Janelle Monáe Achievements
Monáe launched her music career in 2003 with the independent release of her demo album The Audition. She later signed with Bad Boy Records and released her debut EP, Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) in 2007, which was met with critical acclaim and made a modest entry onto the Billboard 200 chart. Her full-length debut album, The ArchAndroid (2010), a concept album, was released under Atlantic Records to widespread praise.
Early life
Janelle Monáe Robinson was born on December 1, 1985, in Kansas City, Kansas, and raised in Quindaro, a working-class neighborhood of Kansas City. Her mother, Janet, worked as a janitor and hotel maid, while her father, Michael Robinson Summers, was a truck driver. After her parents separated when Monáe was a toddler, her mother remarried a postal worker. Monáe has a younger sister, Kimmy, from her mother’s second marriage. Raised in a Baptist household, Monáe learned to sing at a local church, where her family was deeply involved in music and performances at several religious institutions, including the African Methodist Episcopal church, the Baptist church, and the Church of God in Christ.
From an early age, Monáe dreamed of becoming a singer and performer, citing Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz as a significant musical influence. Another key inspiration was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, an album she loved so much that she bought two copies with her first paycheck. Monáe performed songs from Hill’s album at Juneteenth talent shows, where she won for three consecutive years.
Janelle Monae Facts
Where does Janelle Monae live? And how much money does Janelle Monae earn?
| Birth Date |
1-12-1985 |
| Heritage/origin |
American |
| Ethnicity |
Afro-American |
| Religion – believes in God? |
|
| Residence |
She lives in an unknown fashion in United States. |
Janelle Monae Net Worth 2025
| Estimated Net Worth |
$12 million |
| Yearly Salary |
N/A |
| Colleagues |
Taraji P. Henson |
Janelle Monae: Single, Dating, Family & Friends
| Relationship status |
Single |
| Sexuality |
Controversial |
| Partner |
Currently in no confirmed relationship |
| Ex-boyfriends or ex-husbands |
|
| Expecting a baby? |
She is not pregnant |
| Has any kids? |
No |
Height, Weight, Body Measurements, Tattoos, Skin, Hair & Eye Color
This beautiful actress & musician originating from Kansas City, Kansas has a slim body & oval face type.
| Hair color |
Black |
| Eye Color |
Brown |
| Height |
168 cm |
| Weight |
48 kilo |
| Feet size |
N/A |
| Does Janelle Monae smoke? |
|
| Does Janelle Monae have a tattoo? |
No
|
FAQs
Where did Janelle Monáe grow up?
Janelle Monáe grew up in Quindaro, a working-class neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas, where she was raised in a musically active, religious household.
What inspired Janelle Monáe to pursue music?
Monáe was inspired by the transformative power of music, citing childhood dreams of a world filled with music like anime and Broadway, along with influences like The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and The Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy Gale.
Did Janelle Monáe have any formal training in the arts as a child?
Yes, as a teenager, she was part of the Coterie Theater’s Young Playwrights’ Round Table, where she began writing musicals and exploring theatrical storytelling.
How did Janelle Monáe’s early environment shape her artistic vision?
Growing up around religious music and being surrounded by musicians in church fostered Monáe’s appreciation for performance and creativity, helping her build a vivid, imaginative artistic identity from a young age.
What role did church play in Janelle Monáe’s early life?
Church played a major role, as it was where she first learned to sing, and her extended family often performed in various church congregations, laying the foundation for her musical journey.
Did Janelle Monáe write music as a child?
Yes, she began writing musicals as early as age 12, including one inspired by Stevie Wonder’s Journey Through “The Secret Life of Plants.”
