Janelle Monáe Talks Conquering Music, Film and Fashion: 'There Are a Thousand Versions of Me'
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Janelle Monáe contains multitudes.
The actress, singer, style icon, artist, philanthropist and more opens up about her illustrious career and passion for creativity in an exclusive chat with PEOPLE, surrounding her partnership with Martell and the soon-to-open revival of late artist Loïs Mailou Jones' historic Little Paris Group salon.
Asked whether she has plans to release any new music in the near future considering how many projects she has going on at the moment, Monáe insists, "I'm not one person; there are a thousand versions of me."
"I am the prototype of Janelle Monáe," adds the multihyphenate star. "In fact, in another universe, there's already a tour plan, there's an album made, there are many versions of us working hard."
"And so, who knows? I may decide that this is the year to release some music since it's already done in that alternate universe, right?" she says.
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Kevin Winter/Getty Janelle Monáe
Monáe's last full-length album, 2018's Dirty Computer, was nominated for two Grammy Awards, including album of the year. She recently released the single "Float," featuring Seun Kuti & Egypt 80.
Dirty Computer also came with a film accompaniment — and Monáe has been making waves in bigger films over the past several years as well, including a standout role in the recent Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
"I'm in love with creating," she tells PEOPLE. "I love the process of creating. I love the process of building, and my hope is that I can get a group."
"It would be a dream to get a group of some of my favorite actors in a room and us come up with ideas and things we want to see, because I think that's what it's about," Monáe adds.
As part of her partnership with cognac brand Martell, Monáe is helping to honor the legacy of Jones, an early 20th-century visionary who founded The Little Paris Group, a Parisian-style salon for Black artists.
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A revival of the historic salon will open its doors in Brooklyn, New York, on March 23, with the mission of setting in place a foundation for a new wave of influential artists.
Asked what she's looking forward to most about the space, Monáe tells PEOPLE, "Just artists having conversations around [Jones'] work with each other, being able to connect."
"I love community. And with my Wondaland arts collective, I've seen it transform," the Hidden Figures actress continues. "We started off in Atlanta, with directors, writers, visual artists, musicians and actors ... people in those art forms coming together and having important conversations around how to create, how to do it together, what can we build together."
"And I think this is just another opportunity to start those conversations and let people around the world [do that too]," Monáe says. "Keeping it in New York is beautiful, but allowing folks from everywhere to come and build with each other."
"I think you always come out with your best art when you have the best minds in the room talking," she adds.
