Why Janelle Monaé’s Grammy loss was unsurprising yet significant

Janelle Monaé’s critically acclaimed Dirty Computer lost out on Album of Year award at this year’s Grammy awards. Ayika Tshimanga revisits the album and its significance to marginalised people  At the Grammy Awards ceremony on February 10th, Janelle Monaé lost the coveted Album of the Year award to Kacey Musgraves. And so, the Recording Academy… Read More

Moonlight isn’t just a part of the conversation for film of the year, it is the conversation

by Shane Thomas Content note: this review contains spoilers It’s often said that a key facet of healthy relationships is open, honest, and clear communication. Perhaps less emphasised is that this applies to familial relationships as well as romantic ones. Eight years after his debut feature film, Medicine for Melancholy, Barry Jenkins has made a movie… Read More

The Electric Lady

by Shane Thomas I’ve written before about Janelle Monae. Writers such as Emily J. Lordi and Trudy from Gradient Lair have  reviewed Monae’s sophomore album, The Electric Lady, at length. My review will go through the record track by track, and see if it justifies its warm critical reception: 1) Suite IV: Electric Overture This… Read More

Janelle Monae’s Q.U.E.E.N, A Feminist Anthem?

by Shane Thomas I first heard of Monae when she guested on the Outkast song, “Call the Law”, from their most recent (and probably final) album, Idlewild. It was a track that I enjoyed, and put Monae in that radar of pop-culture trivia knowledge that might one day come in useful at a pub quiz.… Read More