Coachella 2013: Janelle Monae is mum on new album

When Pop & Hiss heard that Janelle Monáe would be issuing the first single from her upcoming album the day after the conclusion of next week’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, we wondered whether the eccentric would test out material from the follow-up to her sci-fi R&B; epic, “The ArchAndroid,” at the desert event. The answer, alas, was no.

Even though she didn’t preview any new tunes during her Saturday set, which was subject to a 20-minute delay due to heavy winds blowing through the Coachella tent, the Atlanta native delivered a fiery, funk-filled performance. When it was all said and done, it was no wonder why she was calling her next album “The Electric Lady.”

Pop & Hiss caught up with Monáe backstage to quiz her on her first Coachella appearance and to try and get her to dish on her upcoming project. One was easier than the other.

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This is your first Coachella. What attracted you to the festival?

I love festivals. I love people who come and camp out and are ready to have a good time. And so are we. We are coming and bringing some excitement, an element of surprise, some electricity and just love. I get the sense and the feeling that they are excited.

Is there an artist on this year’s lineup that you’d ever consider collaborating with?

I honestly haven’t looked at the lineup, so I don’t know who’s all performing. Who’s performing?

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Let’s talk about the new single, “Q.U.E.E.N.”

It’s not a single. It’s a musical experience.

The song features Erykah Badu. How did she get on the record?

Erykah and I are really close. We talk all the time. So this song is really inspired by conversations that she and I have had and we’ve had in the past. It’s really a dialogue that you will hear.

What can fans expect from the project?

It will come out in September. And it’s called “The Electric Lady.”

That’s it! So, no other teases?

Well, I can just tease you in knowing that what you’re going to hear on April 22 is just a small bit of what the experience is.

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