Janelle Monae wore Chanel’s 2019 pre-fall collection, including a leather gold couch crown I think may just be the greatest piece of headwear I have ever seen on a red carpet. I believe Vogue when they write that Karl Lagerfeld crafted this hat for his Egyptian-themed Metiers d’Art collection and not specifically for Janelle Monae but I can’t comprehend how anyone wore this before Janelle, or how anyone could wear it after her. This entire Chanel look should just belong to Janelle now. It’s hers. She owns it. No returns. Seriously, who else could pull off regal, futuristic, timeless, and otherworldly all at once?

When Janelle showed up, Duana, Lainey and I all released a sound that I can’t really describe, but it’s probably a sound Janelle is used to. It was like a sigh of relief and a squeal of elation. It was just as joyful to me but a lot less soothing than Janelle’s speaking voice which, as Duana put it, hits you right in the bones. Janelle introduced If Beale Street Could Talk (I wish she’d been joined by Kiki Layne just so Kiki could get more love) because Janelle was in Moonlight so there’s a Barry Jenkins connection. 

As she does often, Janelle had me questioning my sexuality.

This InStyle vignette is not helping my Janelle problem. 

I’ll let you have a minute to compose yourselves. 

And we’re back. Janelle had a really good 2018. Dirty Computer was on all the important Best Of lists and this morning, coming off a shining moment at the Golden Globes, Janelle was confirmed as a headliner at Glastonbury. The Telegraph named her last performance there in 2011 as one of the Top 100 Performances in Glastonbury history. A Janelle Monae performance never disappoints. I like that she appears to approach her red carpet creations with the same care and creativity as her live shows. In a carpet full of prom dresses and boring silhouettes, Janelle gave us daring and unique like she does so well and so often. It’s a SKILL.