#q.u.e.e.n.

[quasarkisses]

gender-revolutionizing lyrics from songs with all-caps abbreviated titles that go hard af

"Gender is a construct, tear it apart"

🤝

"Categorize me, I defy every label"

[thebardandtherogue]

Erica Sinclair is a huge Janelle Monáe fan. I don't make the rules.

[itsallhoney]

Spotify saw this combination of songs and said absolutely not

[biginkyboyo]

Susie Campbell

“Look around. Do you think I like being here? I don't choose to work for a psychopath! Unlike some people, I don't get a choice!”

Background:

Susie applied for the role of voice actress at Joey Drew Studios, but narrowly missed being hired. To her luck, though, Henry advocated for her, and she was hired as the studio's first actress. Though she never cared much for the theatrical, her parents urged her into the acting world, what with her natural talent with her voice. Susie adored her job, regardless, especially voicing Alice Angel. She felt a connection to her character, and always slipped into the voice so seamlessly, as if she were born to be the lovely angel of the silver screen. But in a tragic twist, Susie would be demoted from her role and relegated to doing backup vocals for Allison Pendle, one of the newer actresses Joey hired. Not long after, she was fired altogether after confronting Mr. Drew on his clearly malicious actions. She quietly packed her things and left that same day, just as Henry did only a few years earlier.

Though she vowed to never return, she ultimately would after the studio's closing and was lost to the ink, and reborn. Terrified and delirious, she wandered the dilapidated floors of the old building for weeks before she was discovered by Grant Cohen during his so-called “field work”, and convinced her to come with him. He would introduce her to the Heavenly Gospel, a growing religious congregation that worships the fallen angel, aptly named Angel, a corrupted Alice Angel iteration. Angel grew immediately attached to Susie, delighted to meet the woman who brought Alice to life, and demanded she stay. Demanded she look like Alice, too.

Susie was subject to countless surgeries and experiments at Grant's hands, turning her into an “angel”. Sewed on wings made of cloth and ink, a halo that stuck out of her skull on stilts and two horns. Her body was changed, leaving Susie feeling like a stranger in her own skin, dreading to see what else Grant has done to her that she just hasn't discovered yet. Her only solace in the Heavenly Gospel is her “brother”, Gabriel. Another of Grant's experiments on a worshipper, a kind man who can be…volatile. He's the only person who Susie feels is genuine.

Personality:

Spunky, loud and competitive, Susie is very aware that she commands people's attention and she loves it. A good sense of humor and a charismatic personality, she keeps the conversation moving, and the spirits high, so long as she's able to keep it together herself. At her best, Susie’s ambitious, energetic, she lifts people's spirits with charming quips and an unmeasured level of confidence. At her worst, she's incredibly self conscious, unsure of herself and constantly questioning her actions and whether she could've made a better decision. Losing herself in her head over small things and freaking out at every little noise, feeling as worthless as she fears she is. She tends to seek other's help to ground herself, so she doesn't end up flying off the handle.

Associated music:

Feast Your Eyes by Kian

Deathbody by Ghost and Pals

Lone Digger by Caravan Palace

Goodbye Mr A by The Hoosiers

Miss Jackson by P!ATD

Q.U.E.E.N. by Janelle Monae

Next up: The Messenger

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Favourite janelle monáe album?

Ur blog is cool btw <3

listen obviously I'm a slut for Dirty Computer first and foremost but I think people REALLY miss out by only listening to Janelle's post-coming out OVERTLY queer and sexy stuff. their early albums also slap and I cannot recommend Electric Lady enough, Q.U.E.E.N. is one of my favorite songs in the entire world.

[leashybebes]

on repeat meme (ish)

so i was tagged by a whole bunch of people - @rcmclachlan, @hyperfocusthusly, @ambernotember, @hehasacleft, @mrhappyjavaman and @moonydanny, sorry if i missed anyone! - to do the spotify shuffle your on repeat playlist and post the first ten songs thing BUT i use spotify pretty exclusively for podcasts now

so here is my working like a bawse playlist shuffled instead, as it's the one i listen to most frequently.

montell jordan - this is how we do it

rage against the machine - down rodeo

salt n pepa - push it

schoolboy q - man of the year

notorious b.i.g. - mo money mo problems

carly rae jepsen - call me maybe

elton john - the bitch is back

janelle monáe feat erykah badu - q.u.e.e.n.

ke$ha - tik tok

faithless - mass destruction

[boghermit]

I was tagged by @omgkalyppso to put my library on shuffle, then list the first five songs that come up in a poll.

Songs links below the cut

[haveyoulistenedtothisalbum-poll]

Tracklist:

Suite IV Electric Overture • Givin Em What They Love • Q.U.E.E.N. • Electric Lady • Good Morning Midnight (Interlude) • Primetime • We Were Rock & Roll • The Chrome Shoppe (Interlude) • Dance Apocalyptic • Look Into My Eyes • Suite V Electric Overture • It's Code • Ghetto Woman • Our Favorite Fugitive (Interlude) • Victory • Can't Live Without Your Love • Sally Ride • Dorothy Dandridge Eyes • What An Experience

Spotify ♪ YouTube

[araneapeixes]

elphie song recs r welcome too btw, my guiding star here is janelle monae - q.u.e.e.n. and id love to go somewhere with this but i dont have a very clear idea beyond. the entire janelle monae discography

[gothgirlantlers]

The song of the day is

Janelle Monáe - Q.U.E.E.N. feat. Erykah Badu

Today's song is an all time favorite of mine. It's a song that I love everything about. The second the air breaks go off at the start and the guitar comes in I'm ready to start dancing. The message of the song is pretty clear, and the video portrays it very well.

It is known that Janelle Monae is just too damn Talented, but they really flex their range on this song in particular. One aspect of their music that I think is constantly underrated is their rap verses. They don't rap all the time (although if you want to hear a full on rap song by Janelle check out django jane) but when they do its for a reason.

Janelle Monaes got bars and dont you forget it

[queenaeducan]

six song soundtrack

tagged by @inquisimer & @pickelda

If you're tagged, make a new post with links to music and/or lyrics describing the following: 1. An event that defines your character's past 2. How your character sees themselves 3. How others view them 4. Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic) 5. A major fight scene 6. End credits song

This one goes out to Thora Cadash! Brief explanations under the cut.

Eat Your Young by Hozier

Q.U.E.E.N. by Janelle Monae

Our Lady of the Underground from Hadestown

Heroes by David Bowie

Sleeping Giants by The Crane Wives

Hammering Heart by John Mark McMillan

An event that defines your character's past.

Come and get some Skinning the children for a war drum Putting food on the table selling bombs and guns It's quicker and easier to eat your young

Thora joined the Carta at a young age, destroying parts of herself (and her childhood) to make a living with one of the few paths open to her. It also comes to reflect how she feels about her own lyrium smuggling, the preying they do upon addicts or exploiting free mages for coin.

How your character sees themselves

Hey sister, am I good enough for your heaven? Say will your God accept me in my black and white? Will he approve the way I'm made? Or should I reprogram, deprogram and get down?

A big reason this is on her playlist tbh is "vibes" and "b/c i like it" BUT. One of Thora's struggles in Inquisition is becoming accepted for who she is, in all her oddities and idiosyncrasies, while also being the face of a quasi-religious movement. Q.U.E.E.N. I think speaks to her successes on that front, and the questions she asks in the exploration of those ideas.

How others view them

Wipe away your tears brother Brother, I know how you feel I can see you're blinded by the sadness of it all But look a little closer and Everything will be revealed

I admittedly struggled with this one, and I'm still not entirely happy with the choice because the themes of Hadestown as a musical don't align with what I have in mind for her story. That being said, Thora is deified and idolised by many, so a song sung by a goddess is fitting. Like Persephone, she is associated with the underworld and the world of the living, a return to normalcy, even if that isn't what she necessarily provides.

Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic)

We can be heroes Just for one day We can be heroes

This was my tag for Solas and Thora on my rp blog for her even before the trailer used a cover of it. It doesn't really take a lot of the original meaning of the song into account, but I do think it speaks to their friendship. Like a) Thora has done things that she thinks are wrong (keeping Celene around, drinking from the Well) but doesn't think it means tomorrow she can't make the right choice and b) she thinks the same can be true for Solas. They CAN be heroes!!! Thank u.

A major fight scene

I feel the mountains I feel the mountains shifting under me The sleeping giants Are finally waking, waking finally My pulse is clear, rushing in my ears I hear something calling me

This, to me, is the Corypheus fight song at the end. Thora does The Descent before the end of the game because I Do What I Want, so she goes into the game knowing that the Stone is real. It's beneath her feet, it's over their heads, larger than them both. She's been to Cadash Thaig. She knows her ancestors, now, and the things they did to keep the people they loved safe. She isn't the woman desperate to survive Haven's onslaught, and she's read to face her enemy head-on.

End credits song

The force of the sun Pounds the earth asunder The torch of her strength None can escape Like the hammering heart of The Maker

A low-key song which sings about really loud, awe-inspiring things that just fits Thora well and is a good song to lead out out!

Tagging: @dreadfutures, @nomorecaffeineforyou, @theshirallen, @valorcorrupt, @salesmain

[arowithwood]

For the music asks: could I have 6 and 28 please? 🙂

6 - a song that makes you want to dance

I’ve had Q.U.E.E.N by Janelle Monáe stuck in my head all day so I’m going to go for that! Not like I’m great at dancing but that’s got a cool beat.

28 - a song by an artist with a voice that you love

First of all I’m going to say off the bat I’m excluding all Judas Priest songs from this as I wouldn’t be able to pick between them. Rob Halford’s voice is a force to be reckoned with.

Moving on from that, I’m probably going to say “Shallow Tears” by Light Asylum. The singer is Shannon Funchess and her voice is AWESOME. She must be a baritone or something similar because it’s really deep (and makes me so so jealous cus I’m really squeaky when I sing). Just listen to the track even if only for her voice, it’s astounding :D

[montparnasse]

the two songs Q.U.E.E.N and Electric Lady not only raised me but they made me nonbinary and bisexual and adapted my entire identity. i was just a lowly 17 year old graduating high school one year early and taking a gap year that i would ultimately regret. my diet consisted nearly entirely of marina diamandis and f*ll o*t b*y. janelle monae gripped me tight and raised me from perdition. she literally made me reprogram deprogram and get down. when i say formative that’s who i fucking mean

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Top 5 Janelle Monae songs?

god that's soooo hard

1.) Q.U.E.E.N.

2.) Yoga

3.) I Like That

4.) Make Me Feel

5.) Come Alive (War of the Roses)

[royalsealy]

2, 3, 4, 5, 6 for your prior ask post :D

2. who some of your style icons?

Janelle Monáe is up there! Q.U.E.E.N. was the first music video I saw of theirs and I remember being obsessed with the suit look as a kid. Her use of color and patterns is really fun.

+ bonus black and white look since i love the use of patterns and solids

3. what piece would you consider to be your best find?

Bridal OP in black! The listing for it didnt have this name for it, and lolibrary didn't have the colorway for reference but it was my ultimate dream dress so i recognized it right away.

I remember not expecting to find it at all, so to see it and have it be <$100USD felt like a great deal. Way less than I was preparing to spend

4. what are some pieces you’re still looking for?

Château de Nounours ~Angel's Secret Winery~ by Alice and the Pirates, I'm still undecided on the cut/colorway though ^^

5. what piece(es) do you regret buying?

I think most of my regrets come from 2 sources,

- pieces I got because of group excitement - such as a lot of my friends have this piece or are getting this piece and I like to twin with them when I can vs having a deep desire seperate of my friends for that particular release. I've been tackling this pattern this past year and can thankfully say that I've gotten better at discerning if it's a piece I like or a piece I would like to wear with friends exclusively, it's made me be more mindful about my spending which is always a good thing.

- pieces that i felt werent worth the price.

Most of my pieces are secondhand, and as many of us know the secondhand prices can be at times even worse than new and often with (undisclosed) damages. Secondhand AP is the worst for this imo, usually it tends to be higher anyway because a shopping service would have had to be used or the price was more expensive from the US/Paris store due to overhead costs (reasonable), but when these dresses have flaws it makes me regret every choice. Despite flaws AP is still easy to resell for most pieces, but when buying a piece I usually want to enjoy it first and these flaws + price point detract from that

- polka dot chocolate: this chiffon fabric runs like it's being chased by zombies, it was not in good shape to begin with but I didn't know any better at the time

-honey cake: this one had brown dirt and oils all over it and black gunk on top of the border. major yikes.

6. what are some of your favorite outfits?

One of my favorite things to do is to do monochrome coords with printed pieces-

like sax blue with a navy dress, or white with a white all over print

Thank you for the ask!! ^^

[sophiegold123]

Panel Presentation: "Telephone" by Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé & "Q.U.E.E.N." by Janelle Monáe ft. Erykah Badu

By Sophie Goldberg

"Telephone" by Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé

The music video Telephone by Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé serves as a continuation of "Paparazzi", where Gaga was arrested for killing her abusive boyfriend by poisoning his drink. It features a storyline where Lady Gaga is imprisoned but eventually escapes with Beyoncé's help, and they then go on to poison Beyoncé’s boyfriend and others in a diner and run from the police.  

 Laura Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”

 Mulvey discusses the concept of the male gaze, where the camera represents the perspective of a heterosexual male viewer, objectifying female characters for the pleasure of the male audience. Beyonces and Lady Gaga’s portrayal aligns with certain aspects of the male gaze. The music video inevitably attracts male attention as the camera frequently lingers on their bodies and costumes, emphasizing their sexuality and allure.  Mulvey states “Traditionally, the woman displayed has functioned on two levels: as erotic object for the characters within the screen story, and as erotic object for the spectator within the auditorium” (716). For example, when Lady Gaga first enters the prison everyone is wearing revealing clothes, and as she's pushed into her cell officers strip her down, leaving her with nothing but fishnets. Another instance occurs when Lady Gaga and three other women wear studded bikinis and engage in a provocative dance down the prison corridors. Spectators also see them through the lens of a security camera, furthering the voyeuristic aspect. 

However in "Telephone," both Lady Gaga and Beyoncé also challenge traditional notions of passive femininity by taking on assertive, dominant roles. Mulvey states that “pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female’ (715). Women are presented as spectacle as the man's role is “the active one of forwarding the story,” (716) Lady Gaga and Beyoncé disrupt traditional narrative conventions  by defying societal expectations of female passivity and instead taking control of their own narrative. Gaga and Beyoncé portray themselves as empowered and even dangerous figures as in the music video there are depicted acts of violence against men.   

 Bell Hooks, “Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators”

Hooks discusses how Black female spectators often engage with media representations critically as  “ mass media was a system of knowledge and power reproducing and maintaining white supremacy. To stare at the television, or mainstream movies, to engage its images, was to engage its negation of black representation.” (308) In "Telephone," Beyoncé's confident demeanor, assertive actions, and her role as the one with more agency than Lady Gaga—having the power to bail her out of jail—can be viewed as empowering examples of Black women asserting their autonomy within mainstream media.

Furthermore, Hooks critiques mainstream media for its tendency to eroticize and objectify Black women's bodies. In the video, there is a moment in which there is a high angle shot of Beyoncé's cleavage as she sits across from her boyfriend in the diner. Although, within the framework of the oppositional gaze, Beyoncé's character adopts a rebellious stance, refusing to conform to the gaze of desire and possession. Instead, she asserts her power by poisoning her misogynistic boyfriend and evading the police.   

 Audre Lorde, “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference”

In Lorde's essay, she states “As women, we must root out internalized patterns of oppression within ourselves if we are to move beyond the most superficial aspects of social change.” (122) One such pattern is internalized misogyny, where women devalue themselves and others, which can lead to judgmental attitudes towards different lifestyles and choices. In "Telephone," Beyoncé exemplifies Lorde's words by not passing judgment on Lady Gaga's choices when she bails her out of jail. Despite their differing lifestyles, they unite against a common oppressor. Furthermore, societal expectations surrounding gender roles can also be internalized forms of oppression, such as conforming to domestic responsibilities. In the video Lady Gaga challenge these norms when she incorporates the stereotype of women in the kitchen within a segment titled  “Lets Make a Sandwich”, but instead of adhering to these norms she instead puts poison in all of the food. 

Furthermore, Lorde underscores  the need to recognize differences among women as equals , relate across the differences, and utilize them to enrich collective visions and struggles. This is shown in the music video through the camaraderie and alliance depicted between Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. The video embraces diversity within feminism, showcasing representations of differences in sexuality and race, yet emphasizing a shared goal of empowerment. This sentiment is also echoed in the lyrics, “Boy, the way you blowin' up my phone , Won't make me leave no faster, Put my coat on faster, Leave my girls no faster” 

"Q.U.E.E.N." by Janelle Monáe ft. Erykah Badu

 Janelle Monáe's music video for 'Q.U.E.E.N.,' featuring Erykah Badu, serves as a freedom anthem within a science fiction dystopia. The title itself, 'Q.U.E.E.N.,' is an acronym representing marginalized communities: Queer, Untouchables, Emigrants, Excommunicated, and Negroid, reclaiming royal imagery to challenge traditional hierarchies of race, sexuality, and class. Monáe's Afrofuturist vision suggests a revolution, where marginalized communities and differences are celebrated rather than ostracized. The music video features rebel time-travelers that are frozen in a museum and brought to life by music. In the video's narrative, the song functions as part of a “musical weapons program” that disrupts the status quo, allowing the rebels to move through history and forge a new future in the present.

 Laura Mulvey “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” 

   Mulvey argues that traditional cinematic narratives often reinforce patriarchal ideologies and power structures as they cater to a male gaze. The music video "Q.U.E.E.N." offers a narrative that challenges this as it features strong, empowered female protagonists who challenge traditional gender roles and expectations. Janelle Monáe wears a black-and-white tuxedo, disrupting the traditional notion of gendered clothing styles. The ladies all dance with each other and build eachother up such as when they reply and affirm each other “Is it peculiar that she twerk in the mirror? And am I weird to dance alone late at night? (Nah) And is it true we're all insane? (Yeah) And I just tell 'em, "No we ain't" and get down”. Here, the mention of twerking in the mirror is not sexualized but used to empower the female body.  

Bell Hooks, “Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators”

  The oppositional gaze is seen in the music video as Black female spectators engage with the visual representation of empowerment and resistance depicted in the video. Monáe uses both queerness and Blackness as examples of modern “freakishness.” Monáe doesn't assign a "freaky" status to queerness or Blackness herself, instead, she challenges listeners to interrogate why these identities are perceived as "freaky." She suggests that what society deems as "freaky" is simply the act of being true to oneself. The lyrics declare those differences as things to be proud of  stating "Even if it makes others uncomfortable, I will love who I am". Monáe and Erykah Badu illustrate the way society "freakifies" their Blackness, showcasing how joy and celebration within Black culture are often viewed negatively due to racist stereotypes. The hook in the song highlights this, asking: “Am I a freak for dancing around? Am I a freak for getting down? I’m cutting up, don’t cut me down.” Black female spectators can find empowerment in seeing how the song recognizes differences and individuality as prideful assets. 

 Audre Lorde, “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference”

Lorde emphasizes the importance of recognizing the intersections of age, race, class, and sex in understanding women's experiences. The video highlights the oppression faced by diverse identities and experiences of Black women,  as well as showcases their resilience in the face of it.  The lyrics “Add us to equations but they'll never make us equal” resonates with Lorde’s claim that simply incorporating marginalized groups into existing systems does not address the underlying power imbalances or inequalities. Monáe’s next lyrics recognizes these inequalities stating “She who writes the movie owns the script and the sequel, So why ain't the stealing of my rights made illegal? They keep us underground working hard for the greedy, But when it's time pay they turn around and call us needy (needy)” Lorde further  advocates for collective action and solidarity among women of different backgrounds to achieve liberation. In "Q.U.E.E.N.," the song's message of female empowerment and solidarity is highlighted as Monáe and Badu come together to celebrate different identities, for example sexual and racial identity. Janelle Monáe promotes unity and collaboration among women as she says “Will you be electric sheep? Electric ladies, will you sleep? Or will you preach?” According to Janelle Monáe it is up to this community and this generation to create its new norm and break down the walls that limit them.

Discussion Questions:

Lorde says ““By and large within the women’s movement today, white women focus upon their oppression as women and ignore differences of race, sexual preference, class and age. There is a pretense to a homogeneity of experience covered by the word sisterhood that does not in fact exist.” In the music video, do you think Lady Gaga is focusing on the oppression of just women in general and treating the experience of all women the same, or is she not necessarily ignoring the differences but the video just does not explicitly address them .  

Is trying to make money and bring attention using our bodies promoting sexism even though it is our choice and feel empowering or confidence boosting

In music videos is using Sexuality and promiscuity still catering to the male gaze even if they are active agents in the narrative? What about in the cinema?