Rap-Up.com || Janelle Monáe Shoots Videos for ‘Tightrope’ and ‘Cold War’

Janelle Monáe may stick to wearing black-and-white fashions, but the OutKast protégée’s video concepts are more colorful than a Polaroid picture. The singer recently shot two cinematic pieces—“Tightrope,” featuring Big Boi, and “Cold War”—to promote the release of her forthcoming album, The ArchAndroid.

“I shot them in two days,” Monáe tells Rap-Up.com. “I did ‘Tightrope’ first and ‘Cold War’ the next day. Both of them are very touching. I remember crying during ‘Cold War’ [on the] first take. I didn’t know how that happened but it just did. I was very moved by that. It was really a special moment; then everybody else started to cry.”

Both videos, which were shot by director Wendy Morgan (“Going On,” Gnarls Barkley), are in tune with Monáe’s eccentricity. While she won’t reveal if the images will showcase a kaleidoscope of colors, she does admit the visuals are a bit on the wild side. “‘Cold War’ reveals what the ArchAndroid looks like,” she states. “[The video] deals with a psychosis—you’re in my mind and you get a chance to understand Metropolis, where it all stemmed [from] and my thoughts. It’s very psychedelic and trippy.”

As for the bouncy, bass-driven single “Tightrope,” the Kansas native filmed its video in an unlikely place: a sanitarium. “‘Tightrope’ takes place at the Palace of the Dogs,” Monáe reveals. “A lot of the greats were admitted into this place, like Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix, to name a couple.” Remaining rather tight-lipped on its premise, she did give insight on some very special guests making a cameo. “Autism savants,” she continues, “they’re very rare and they’re autistic. So basically, what we did, we filmed them being studied there. It’s crazy, you have to see it. It’s fun. We wanted to keep it raw and funky—just having it in an insane asylum made it that much cooler to me.”

Janelle Monáe’s debut effort, The ArchAndroid, which includes Suites II and III of Metropolis, will release on May 18.

–Georgette Cline

Posted in Janelle Monáe, Video Shoots | Permalink

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12 Comments

SupaCi
March 15th, 2010 at 11:15 am
Nobody else could do it but Janelle! She is EVERYTHING the music industry needs! She’s so innovative and original! I can’t wait. I know her videos will SHIT all over that Telephone bullshit!

[Reply]
mrstackhouse
March 15th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Can’t wait for her album :)

[Reply]
Obvious Genius
March 15th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
I am sitting on edge waiting for them to premiere!!

Can’t wait!!!

I heard she’s doing videos for all of her songs? Let’s hope that rumor is true…

[Reply]
Obvious Genius
March 15th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I am sitting on edge waiting for them to premiere!!

Can’t wait!!!
I heard she’s doing videos for all of her songs? Let’s hope that rumor is true…

[Reply]
...
March 15th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
she’s another one who thinks she’s way more artistic/intelligent than she is

her music is a little too much for me

[Reply]
SupaCi
March 15th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
@…

That’s because you’re simple-minded.

[Reply]
Hautmess
March 15th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Tightrope is the JAM! love this chick..

glad shes not another urban douche trash talking about sex and killing……..

[Reply]
Hautmess
March 15th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
and because shes not talking about sex and killing you’ll never hear this on the radio.

[Reply]
JD
March 16th, 2010 at 7:58 am
she looks like a circus freak

[Reply]
LShea
May 9th, 2010 at 3:00 am
What’s to even hate on here – if she’s not nasty, trashy and popping her butt then you have something negative to say? Some black folks can’t stand people having pride in themselves and being true to themselves instead of running blindly with the crowd with their head cut off. If you don’t like it, move on. Be mad somewhere else. How ridiculous!

[Reply]
LShea
May 9th, 2010 at 3:01 am
JD, post your pic so we can take a gander at your visage.

[Reply]
VIDEO: Janelle Monae “Cold War” | Hot 107.9
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:57 pm
[...] day after she shot the video for her breakout single, “Tightrope,” Janelle Monae told Rap-Up.com about her experience filming the clip: “I remember crying during ‘Cold War’ [on the] first [...]