Our discussion of science uncovered how large an influence new technology has on society, not only for informational progress but also in advertising and media. We as a culture seem to be obsessed with all things future. We're fascinated by pictures of space, made the story of The Terminator a box-office hit, and long for the day we can live like Mr. and Mrs. Jetson. It would only make sense then that these futuristic influences make their way into music as well.
Janelle Monae, recently (or perhaps not so recently) signed to Bad Boy Records, does just that. Her 2008/2009 musical endeavors tell the story of Cindi Mayweather, an android who is hunted down by the futuristic Metropolis police for falling in love with a human. The video for the single "Many Moons" takes place at an android auction, where Monae plays the role of Mayweather performing for the bidders amongst dozens of robots that look just like her. And it seems that most of her success, already taking into account a uniquely powerful voice combined with music that sounds right off an Outkast album, comes from her ability to combine these fictional tales with the funk of past soul singers. Our radios are currently dominated by pop lyrics about love, cheating, and nights out on the town. We watch video after video of a generic front woman scantily clad in front of a microphone. In this kind of environment, Monae's quirky personality is refreshing. She caters to our aural sensibilities, but also shows glimpses of this cyborg future in the stars that we dream about.
I don't think it's a stretch to see music and science combined successfully like this, but I would be curious to see the full potential of her influence with more exposure. Unfortunately Diddy isn't so adept at recognizing actual talent.
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