Janelle Monáe Reveals She's Recovering from Mercury Poisoning After Eating a Pescatarian Diet

Janelle Monáe is on the mend after suffering from mercury poisoning.

Monáe, 34, revealed the alarming news during a recent interview with The Cut, sharing, “I started feeling my mortality.”

The “Yoga” singer explained that she grew ill after eating a pescatarian diet.

Monáe did not disclose any other details about the incident.

According to the Center for Disease Control, large amounts of methylmercury (organic mercury largely linked to eating seafood, but mainly fish) eaten over weeks to months can cause damage to the nervous system.

Monáe also revealed to The Cut that she is especially focused on recovering as she eventually wants to start a family and wants to be as healthy as possible.

Janelle Monae | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Janelle Monae | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

She is, however, not exactly sure as to when she’ll become a mother, but is trying to find the time in her busy career to take that big step.

Monae has previously expressed her desire to start a family, sharing in a 2018 interview with Fault magazine that not being able to have children when she wants to is scary to her.

“That I won’t have a family within the time frame that I want to have a family,” said when asked what scares her. “I want to have children, but I don’t want to miss that time because I was so focused on my career and because I didn’t plan accordingly.”

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Monáe is dating actress Tessa Thompson and in a 2018 interview with Net-A-Porter, Thompson, 36, spoke candidly about her bisexuality and her “love” for Monáe, who came out as queer the same year.

“Janelle and I love each other deeply. We’re so close, we vibrate on the same frequency. If people want to speculate about what we are, it doesn’t bother me,” Thompson told Net-A-Porter.

Rumors surrounding the pair’s relationship swirled with the release of Monáe’s Dirty Computer album, which was accompanied by a music video featuring Thompson.

Tessa Thompson and Janelle Monae
Tessa Thompson and Janelle Monae

Monáe opened up about her sexuality to Rolling Stone in 2018, saying, “Being a black queer woman in America … someone who has been in relationships with both men and women — I consider myself to be a free-ass motherf—.”

While the singer added that she used to identify as bisexual, she says that changed after reading “about pansexuality.”

“I was like, ‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too.’ I’m open to learning more about myself,” she added to Rolling Stone.

Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe

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In addition to her blossoming personal life and successful music career, Monáe is also gearing up for the release of her new movie Antebellum, which will be released on April 24.

The upcoming thriller stars Monáe as Veronica, “a successful author, who finds herself trapped in a horrifying reality and must uncover the mind-bending mystery before it’s too late,” according to IMDb.