This month’s sinphonola opens with what could easily become the revelation of the year: Janelle Monae’s career to date included some early roles in musicals like “The Wizard Of Oz”, until Outkast’s Big Boi provided the young star with her first break as a guest vocalist in some of the tracks of the duo’s “Idlewild” soundtrack. The tepid reception to that album may have come in Janelle’s way to superstardom, but this could be just about to change with the release of her debut ” Metropolis Suite I: The Chase”, in which the Nona Hendryx lookalike adopts the role of alien cybergirl Cindi Mayweather’s, narrating her misadventures to save mankind, in a world where love is prosecuted. Her first single “Violet Stars Happy Hunting” is without doubt one of the most infectious and unique tracks we have heard this year. If all the album is like that Janelle will be seen at this year’s Rober Awards.
