Janelle Monae's The Archandroid

Author: Alyssa Favreau

"Monae's full-length debut, The Archandroid, is a science fiction concept album that tells the story of the android Cindi Mayweather, a citizen of 28th century Metropolis who is on the run from the authorities for daring to love a human. As she fights for survival, Cindi realizes that she is in fact the prophesied Archandroid, a robot messiah meant to liberate the masses and lead them toward a wonderland where all can be free. This book takes into account the literary merit of Monae's astounding multimedia body of work, the political relevance of the science fictional themes and aesthetics she explores, and her role as an Atlanta-based pop cultural juggernaut. The exploration of the lavish world building present in Cindi's story, and the many literary, cinematic, and musical influences brought together to create it, will blend with a history of Monae's move to Atlanta, her signing with Bad Boy Records, and the trials of developing of a full-length concept album in an industry overwhelmingly devoted to the production of marketable singles. The stories of Cindi and Janelle are inextricably entwined, each making the other more compelling, fantastical, and deeply felt."