Monáe was born Janelle Monáe Robinson on 1st December 1985 in Kansas City, Kansas, United States. She moved to New York to study theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Her original plan was to pursue a career on Broadway, but she soon changed her mind and returned to music. After moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 2003, Monáe founded the Wondaland Arts Society with like-minded young artists, and made a couple of appearances on Outkast’s 2006 album Idlewild, where she is featured on the songs “Call the Law” and “In Your Dreams”.
In 2009 Monáe received a Grammy nomination in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance for her single “Many Moons”.