Review of Janelle Monáe’s Tracks “Champagne Shit” and “Lipstick Lover” From Her New Album
Janelle Monáe released her fourth studio album The Age of Pleasure on Friday, June 9. It’s her first album release in five years. This collection has a strong pan-African vibe, with Monáe incorporating Afrobeat, dancehall and reggae on her tracks. The album finds the artist in full hedonistic mode. She's ready to cut loose and indulge in some of life’s pleasures. This attitude is exemplified in “Champagne Shit.” Monáe is living her best life and enjoying the fruits of her success to the max on this cut: “Don't ask me shit about work/'Cause I'm on my champagne shit/I'm talkin’ high heels and no shirt/’Cause I’m on my champagne shit.” The indelible groove features dynamic horns and a dope beat. And it also boasts a great vocal arrangement.
Monáe continues her pleasure-seeking journey with the spicy “Lipstick Lover.” The infectious reggae-flavored track is elevated by Monáe’s marvelous vocal performance. Her lush harmonies underscore the track’s tropical vibe. The song also features a groovin’ bass line. “Lipstick Lover” was released as a single on May 11. It coincided with the announcement of her new album The Age of Pleasure. The song’s steamy music video raised more than a few eyebrows as well as temperatures. Some fans weren’t quite ready for this free, uninhibited side of Monáe, while others applauded her for boldly embracing her sexuality. It’s certainly a far cry from her tuxedo-wearing cyborg alter ego Cindi Mayweather, the heroine of her 2010 debut album The ArchAndroid.
It’s interesting how the trajectory of her ever-evolving image is the reverse of that of her late mentor and friend Prince. He started his career with a highly sexualized persona but gradually toned it down over the years. Monáe appears to be going in the opposite direction. Perhaps she didn’t want to start out being overly sexual so people would focus solely on her art and nothing else. That’s one of the things that distinguished her from a lot of other female R&B and pop artists at the time. Now that she’s achieved a significant amount of critical acclaim and commercial success, she probably felt it wouldn’t hurt to bring a bit of her sexy side into the mix. And let’s face it, she’s got a bangin’ body and no doubt wants to show it off every now and then.
The Age of Pleasure is a high-quality collection that reveals yet another layer of the talented and innovative artist. In late August, Monáe is kicking off a 26-city tour in support of the album. Tour dates and venue info are available at her official website.
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