Janelle Monáe Reveals Special Meaning Behind 'Liquid Blackness' Armani Gown at 2024 Grammys

"I'm feeling classic, timeless, futuristic," the singer said on the red carpet of her sparkling look

Janelle Monáe is turning heads at the 2024 Grammy Awards.

The "Make Me Feel" hitmaker, 38, dressed to impress for the star-studded ceremony, wearing a Giorgio Armani Privé gown with a plunging bustier embroidered with black sequins and trimmed with silver beads. The waistline of the design also featured floral accents made of black and silver crystals.

"I'm feeling classic, timeless, futuristic," the singer told E! host Laverne Cox on the red carpet. "I'm standing in Black pride and it's the liquid blackness and in a state of joy. This album was all about joy. And this time around I wanted joy for my people. I'm so happy to be nominated for album of the year."

Monáe (who uses she/they pronouns) could walk away with two awards at Sunday's ceremony, as their 2023 release The Age of Pleasure is up for album of the year and best progressive R&B album.

The Age of Pleasure — Monáe's fourth studio album — marked their first LP release in over five years after they dropped Dirty Computer in 2018.

Monáe's red carpet looks, including the rosette-covered Nicole + Felicia two-piece gown she wore to Clive Davis' Pre-Grammys Gala, are always incredible, and they previously told PEOPLE that someone close to their heart acts as their style inspiration.

Related: Janelle Monáe Reflects on Working with Prince: 'He Never Let His Mystery Get in the Way of His Mentorship'

Speaking in January 2023, the musician said they'd been taking tips from their then 3-year-old niece, Jorgie.

"She's confident and free," they said. "She puts together clothes and they don't have to match. They don't have to be in the same genre. And she's so happy. That's what I think clothing is about. I don't need to be uncomfortable."

Monáe — who stuck to black-and-white ensembles when they were starting out in the industry — insisted fashion "should be an extension of how I'm feeling inside. Fashion allows us an opportunity to tell stories."

Related: Usher Serenades Janelle Monáe at Las Vegas Concert with Champagne and Dancing: 'We Bl(ush)ed in Vegas'

"A lot of my fashion came from just not having enough money for things," they explained. "As I was performing, I couldn't have a new look every performance. So I would just go to thrift stores and I would buy black, two dollar trousers or tuxedo pants and have them tailored to fit my body. And I would go to Banana Republic and get a white button down shirt."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.