Janelle Monáe Shares The Important Life Advice She Obtained From The Late Prince

Singer and actress, Janelle Monáe, revealed an essential lesson she learned from Prince during her recent conversation with Zane Lowe for Apple Music.

She discussed the impact of Prince's passing on her decision to take a break from music, expressing the deep connection she had with him and the anxiety surrounding how she'll be remembered.

Monáe released her latest album, "The Age of Pleasure," featuring honest and challenging songs. 

Keep on reading to learn more.

Janelle Monáe continues to cherish the wisdom she gained from working with the late music icon, Prince. In her interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, the singer, and actress opened up about Prince's valuable advice on conquering nerves in music and life, per People magazine.

Monáe revealed that Prince often advised his band members to "cut it down in half" when they were feeling anxious or jittery.

According to Monáe, Prince emphasized that when people are nervous, they tend to rush through things, whether it's playing music too quickly or speaking hurriedly. By cutting everything down in half, Prince believed individuals could regain composure and find their center.

Taking this lesson to heart, Monáe said that she now takes that approach in life, "cut it down in half."

In a candid 2018 interview with the New York Times Magazine, Monáe opened up about the profound impact of Prince's unexpected passing in April 2016. She shared that the loss of her confidant and mentor played a significant role in her decision to take a hiatus from her music career.

Monáe expressed the deep connection she had with Prince, saying, "This was the person that I would literally call and talk to about sounds or: 'How should I say this? Is this saying too much?'" 

"I just never could imagine a time where I couldn't pick up the phone or email him, and he'd contact me right back and we'd talk about all these things that I was unsure of," she added, per People.

"I couldn't fake being vulnerable," Monáe noted. "In terms of how I will be remembered, I have anxiety around that, like the whole concept about what I'll be remembered for."

In a recent announcement, Monáe delighted fans by unveiling her latest album, "The Age of Pleasure," which was officially released last Friday. One of the standout tracks from the album is the single "Lipstick Lover." Before the album's release, Monáe had an insightful conversation with Lowe, where she delved into the inspirations behind the new musical project.

Monáe revealed that "all the songs were written from such an honest space." Despite having a successful career spanning 15 years, Monáe acknowledged that the creative process still presents challenges.

While speaking about the stressful procedure of putting together an album, Monáe said, "Look, it never stops. Even with this album, this project. I'm just like, 'You know what? It takes work.' I have to learn things all over again. I have to practice. I have to... And thank God I love the songs. Yeah. So it's always a fun thing to do. It's like starting on a blank canvas."

With "The Age of Pleasure," Monáe aims to showcase her artistic evolution and explore her sources of joy.

During the conversation, the "Glass Onion" actress also shared her perspective on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the future of music. Recognizing the inevitability of AI's presence, Monáe emphasized that the industry will need to adapt and find ways to integrate this technology into the creative process because "it's not going away."

According to Monáe, "We're going to live in a world right now where you can't differentiate The Beatles from The AI Beatles from the Beach Boys. If they put it out and you hear it and you're like, oh, that's really them."

AI in the music industry has become a hot topic lately, especially after a fake collaboration between Drake and The Weeknd (with the use of AI) went viral.