Janelle Monáe announces new album ‘The Age Of Pleasure’ and shares single ‘Lipstick Lover’
Janelle Monáe has announced her new album ‘The Age Of Pleasure’ and shared latest single ‘Lipstick Lover’ – listen below.
‘The Age of Pleasure’, the singer and actor’s first album in five years, is due out June 9 via Wondaland Arts Society/Atlantic Records – you can pre-order/pre-save it here.
The announcement arrives with new single ‘Lipstick Lover’, a reggae-inspired celebration of queer love and joy. “I like lipstick on my neck / It let me know I’m your number one select,” Monáe sings. “I like lipstick on my neck / Hands around my waist so you know what’s comin’ next.”
“As we enter into The Age Of Pleasure, ‘Lipstick Lover’ is our freeassmothafucka anthem inspired by f.a.m. for f.a.m,” Monáe said in a statement. “This is our oasis made with love, rooted in self-acceptance, throbbing in self-discovery, and signed with cherry red kisses from me to you.”
Listen to the new track and watch the retro music video, directed by Monáe and Alan Ferguson, below.
‘Lipstick Lover’ follows single ‘Float’, which came out in February and was the musician’s first new music proper since 2018.
According to a press statement, the song is inspired by: “Muhammed Ali talking shit in Zaire, 1974, Jane’s evolution, Mary Poppins’ umbrella, Aladdin’s magic carpet, Ja Morant’s flotation to the rim while dunking on his ops, Sara Elise’s ropes, excerpts from Paramahmsa Nithyananda’s talks on levitation, Raul’s toast on Dec 1, and Bruce Lee’s mighty philosophy on being ‘shapeless, formless,’ and becoming one with your surroundings, to be like water.”
Speaking about the forthcoming new album with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Monáe said the tracks “were written from such an honest space”.
“So I hope that people feel that when they listen to the music, that they feel that when they come and, you know, counter with me when I’m around, I definitely have had an opportunity to evolve and grow and to tap into the things that bring me pleasure, the things that perhaps I should rethink and rework.”
‘The Age of Pleasure’ follows ‘Dirty Computer‘ (2018), ‘The Electric Lady’ (2013), and 2010 studio debut ‘The ArchAndroid’.
In recent years, Monáe has focused more on their acting career, joining the Knives Out franchise for the sequel film Glass Onion last year.
Back in December, Monáe teased a new album to NME, joking that they now have a “clone” for music who has been hard at work in the studio.
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Hollie Geraghty
NME
