My daughter’s favorite album of her 15-month life is an exceedingly catchy, exceedingly raunchy album by the genius singer, songwriter, actress and producer Janelle Monáe. It just so happens to (thankfully) be one of my favorites of the year as well. Monáe is one of those people who is so insanely talented at everything she does that you kinda want to hate them. Like Justin Timberlake, Monáe can sing, dance, write, act, is drop dead gorgeous and can seemingly do no wrong. What an asshole.

If you haven’t yet heard of Monáe, you’ve probably seen her. She had a couple of great recent supporting roles: one in the Oscar-winning Best Picture of 2016 film Moonlight (her big screen debut), and another in the Oscar-nominated Best Picture of 2016 film Hidden Figures. Before she’d received the script for either of those fantastic movies, Monáe had started writing what would eventually became her third album. Once shooting was done, back into the studio she went, and out came 2018’s Dirty Computer.

The album is a pop music, sex-filled dream. Some of the lyrics within would make someone who’s not been listening to artists like Prince their entire lives blush, such as:

Pynk, like the inside of your... baby
Pynk behind all of the doors... crazy
Pynk, like the tongue that goes down... maybe
Pynk, like the paradise found

You know I love it, so please don't stop it
You got me right here in your jean pocket
Laying your body on a shag carpet
You know I love it so please don't stop it

Listening to the album will remind you of Prince, because his signature sound is all over the album. Prince worked with Monáe on the album before his death in 2016, and “Make Me Feel,” shown in the video above, is the climax of their joint effort. Just watch that video, but be warned: while there’s not a naked part in the whole video, it definitely toe’s the line of what’s safe for work viewing. In addition to having Prince’s fingerprints all over it, the album is chockablock with guest stars as well. Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder and Grimes all make appearances.

Monáe took other cues from Prince, too, releasing Dirty Computer – An Emotion Picture along with the album. At just over 45 minutes, the film is a loose sci-fi story built around the sounds of the album. You can watch the long film and see all the music videos within, or you can watch them individually, too:

“I Like That”
“PYNK”
“Django Jane”

If you’re not familiar with Monáe, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Start with listening to this album, then watch out for her next thing. I guarantee, if she hasn’t done it already, she’ll be the next megastar to host Saturday Night Live as both the host and the musical guest, and she will kill it.

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5. The Horizon Just Laughed by Damien Jurado
6. Chris by Christine and the Queens
7. Wanderer by Cat Power
8. Tell Me How You Really Feel by Courtney Barnett
9. The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs by Wye Oak
10. Ruins by First Aid Kit
11. Cocoa Sugar by Young Fathers
12. Loner by Caroline Rose
13. Big Red Machine by Big Red Machine
14. I’ll Be Your Girl by The Decemberists
15. The More I Sleep the Less I Dream by We Were Promised Jetpacks
16. Joy as an Act of Resistance by IDLES
17. Hell-On by Neko Case
18. Superorganism by Superorganism
19. Living in Extraordinary Times by James
20. Thank You for Today by Death Cab for Cutie
21. Black Panther: The Album by Kendrick Lamar
22. Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino Film) by Thom Yorke
23. Merrie Land by The Good, the Bad & the Queen
24. Room 25 by Noname
25. WARM by Jeff Tweedy
26. God's Favorite Customer by Father John Misty
27. Vessel by Frankie Cosmos
28. For Ever by Jungle
29. Twerp Verse by Speedy Ortiz
30. Remain in Light by Angélique Kidjo
31. This One’s for the Dancer & This One’s for the Dancer’s Bouquet by Moonface

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