Janelle Monae is Back in Kansas

KCUR | By Susan B. Wilson

Published October 22, 2010 at 12:01 PM CDT

With her signature pompadour and futuristic tuxedoes, singer Janelle Monae is breaking out of Atlanta's alternative hip hop scene.

By Susan B. Wilson

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/national/local-national-930977.mp3

Kansas City, MO – Janelle Monae's recent album The ArchAndroid was produced by Outkast, along with Sean "Diddy" Combs. She's performed across the US and Europe, but at age 24, Janelle Monae has yet to play in or around her own hometown of Kansas City, Kansas. That's until this weekend. KCUR's Susan Wilson recently caught up with her over the phone.

Janelle Monae performs Saturday at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, along with the band Of Montreal.

A longer version of this interview airs Sunday, October 24, 2010 on KC Currents. To listen on your own schedule, subscribe to the KC Currents Podcast.

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Arts & Life Arts & Culture

Susan B. Wilson

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Susan admits that her “first love” was radio, being an avid listener since childhood. However, she spent much of her career in mental health, healthcare administration, and sports psychology (Susan holds a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Bloch School of Business at UMKC.) In the meantime, Wilson satisfied her journalistic cravings by doing public speaking, providing “expert” interviews for local television, and being a guest commentator/contributor to KPRS’s morning drive time show and the teen talk show “Generation Rap.”

See stories by Susan B. Wilson

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