Janelle Monáe Teases New Music Project: 'I Have A Lot To Say'

Janelle Monáe has a lot more music to share with the world following the conclusion of her most recent project, the 2022 American mystery, "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery."

In a recent appearance with co-star Edward Norton on "Today with Hoda & Jenna," the multifaceted artist hinted that a new music project might be in the works as she finally found the perfect inspiration after the pandemic.

Speaking with the show host, Jenna Bush Hager, the activist was asked when fans should expect "new music" from her given the conclusion of her latest movie. Answering the question, Monáe said:

"You know what? I'm very inspired. I'm in a wonderful place. After filming this movie, I think I kind of had like a little drought being in the pandemic."

Hager agreed before the 37-year-old confessed that she did not particularly know what she wanted to say; however, after traveling and connecting with inspiring people, she began to feel "more present." "I have a lot to say on the music side," she added, after which she said, "So we shall see" — in a singsong voice.

As seen in the Instagram reel posted on the show's official page, the "We Are Young" songstress looked super dashing in a black and white chic ensemble, complimenting her golden-hued hair. 

Following her revelation, her fellow "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" star, Norton, showered her with praises as he called her the "David Bowie of our crowd" before listing her outstanding skills in entertainment. He said:

"You know, she's an actress, she's an incredible musician, she incarnates characters," which Hager confirmed by describing Monáe as "really impressive." 

The 53-year-old then confessed that his work with her on the 2022 mystery film was one of the best moments during the filming period. In his words, "Working with her, around her, that was really one of the highlights of the whole thing for me." As for the delightful post, it was captioned:

"@janellemonae gives an update on potential future music projects, and @edwardnortonoffocial shares appreciation for her as an artist and co-star while filming "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery."  

Monáe's news will certainly count as an additional thrill to fans as she previously delighted them by voicing her interest in taking up more "transformative" movie roles in the future. Per The Blast, she spoke at the London Film Festival, where she credited famed actor Johny Depp's acting resumé as an inspiration for her desire to play diverse roles.

The Hugo Award nominee told the crowd at the time: "When I think about careers, this person is an actor, his life as an actor only; Johnny Depp has a very vast career." Although her reference to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor caused grumbles from the audience, she explained that the extensive range of his film characters never stopped inspiring her.

The crowd's reaction to the mention of Depp's name may have been warranted as he became a controversial subject following the end of his very public defamation trial against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Monáe was not so bothered about the controversy at that moment as she went on to list the number of roles the actor played in the past.

At the same time, she admitted that she wanted her version of his range or something even better but still centered on playing "transformative characters" that remain embedded in viewers' minds forever.

Monáe has made a few reveals in 2022, including verifying her sexuality as non-binary on Jada Pinket Smith's "Red Table Talk" in April. The Blast reported that she never publicly acknowledged her sexual identity as non-binary but instead chose to promote the LGBTQ+ community in public speech and on social media.

Even so, several fans may have been unsurprised about her gender status news, given the rumors that came up while she supported the community. On the show, the eight-time Grammy nominee declared, "I'm non-binary. So, I just don't see myself as a woman or – solely. You know, I feel all of my energy."

She added that her sexuality did not prevent her from showing support to the female community in their fight against societal problems troubling womanhood. "I will always stand with women," Monáe said. "I will always stand with Black women, but I just see everything that I am beyond the binary."