Hot Sci-Fi Beyonce: A Q&A With Janelle Monae

Pretty far-out. Is that how you got Big Boi's attention?
I met Big Boi when I was at Justin's in Atlanta. I was doing an open-mike night and he was in the audience. I had no idea he was there, and I got offstage and I felt this hand grab my arm and it was Big Boi, and he was just telling me how much he liked the show. He said he was inspired, and he wanted to get me on the Big Boi Presents Got Purp? Volume II compilation. So I was a part of that, and then he and Andre 3000 came to me about getting on the Idlewild album. Ever since that, Big Boi has been a mentor to me, like a big brother.

Earlier this year, Diddy signed you to his Bad Boy label, and he's called you one of the most important signings of his career. How did you guys meet?
Diddy had heard my music on MySpace. I got this message from him on MySpace, and I didn't respond back; I didn't think it was him. And then Big Boi called me and he was like, "Puff has been blowing up my phone all morning! He listened to the songs on your MySpace page and he's just really blown away." So Puff figured out a way to get us all on the phone and he just expressed how excited he was about the project and if there's anything he could do to help out, he's here.

With all these mentors around, have you gotten some good career advice?
Well, Prince talked to me! I did a show in L.A. with Raphael Saadiq and after the show, this girl came to my dressing room and she was like, "Hey, is Janelle Monae back here?" And I was like, "Yeah. It's me." And she was like, "I have a phone call for you." So she gives me her phone and in this really deep voice I hear, "Hello, Janelle, it's Prince." And I'm like, "Hi, Prince, how are you?" And he's like, "I'm well. I'm well. Listen, I'm sorry I missed your show. I wanted to let you know that I love your jazz voice. I love what it is that you're doing."

Were you freaking out?
Totally. He said he wanted to give me advice before I got too involved within the industry, and that if I ever needed to speak with him, he's always available. So I called him and we talked about stage lighting. I thought I was in a dream.

You obviously have a super-unique style — the pompadour, the saddle shoes. How did the hairdo come about?
Well I actually have a machine. I put it in this sculpting machine just to do my hair like it is, like you see it, and I pop it in there and it comes back out and it's like wrapped around.

Do you think Little Richard had a hair machine?
I don't know. I'm pretty sure he did. He probably hid it from everybody.

Can you buy it?
It has to be custom made. I designed it, of course. I can't tell you who made it. But maybe, if I meet you and you're a nice person, I'll let you in on the secret.

What's it called?
I've never gotten into labels, from my music to my hair. So I don't even know what I would call it. I'm a big supporter of Andy Warhol — he always said to never label your art. Let everyone else try and figure it out, and while they're trying to figure it out you continue to make more art.