Janelle Monáe Robinson (born December 1, 1985), known as Janelle Monáe /dʒəˈnɛl moʊˈneɪ/, is an American psychedelic soul and R&B singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer signed to Wondaland Art Society, Bad Boy Records and Atlantic Records. After making a mark with her first unofficial studio album, The Audition CD release, Monáe debuted publicly with a conceptual EP: Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase). The EP had limited commercial impact, peaking at number 115 on the Billboard 200 in the United States.

In 2010 Janelle Monáe released her "debut" studio album, The ArchAndroid, a concept album sequel to her first EP; it was released by Bad Boy Records. This album received critical acclaim and garnered a Best Contemporary R&B Album nomination at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. The song "Tightrope" was also nominated for Best Urban/Alternative Performance at the same ceremony. With this industry recognition the album has also been more successful commercially, officially reaching the number 17 spot on the Billboard 200.