Net Worth Ranker
What Is Janelle Monáe’s Net Worth?
Janelle Monáe, a multifaceted American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, producer, and actress, has cultivated a substantial net worth of $12 million. This financial standing reflects her diverse talents and successful endeavors across various entertainment mediums.
Early Career and Musical Beginnings
Born Janelle Monáe Robinson on December 1, 1985, in Kansas City, Kansas, her journey began with early exposure to music through her local church. By her teenage years, she was already honing her skills, participating in the Young Playwrights’ Round Table at the Coterie Theater and starting to write musicals. After graduating from F. L. Schlagle High School, Monáe pursued musical theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. However, she left after a year and a half to move to Atlanta, attending Perimeter College at Georgia State University.
In 2003, Monáe independently released her first album, “The Audition,” marking the start of her professional music career. This self-released album showcased her early talent and ambition. She then met producers/songwriters Nate Wonder and Chuck Lightning, which led to the formation of the Wondaland Arts Collective.
A pivotal moment came when she was fired from Office Depot for using a company computer to answer fan mail. This experience inspired her to write the song “Lettin’ Go,” which captured the attention of OutKast’s Big Boi, setting the stage for her entry into the mainstream music industry.
Breakthrough and Musical Achievements
Monáe’s career gained significant momentum with her collaboration on OutKast’s 2006 “Idlewild” soundtrack, where she performed on the tracks “Call the Law” and “In Your Dreams.” She also made an appearance on “Got Purp? Vol. 2,” a 2005 album by the Purple Ribbon All-Stars. In 2006, Big Boi introduced her to Sean Combs, leading to a contract with Bad Boy Records.
Her EP, “Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase),” released on August 24, 2007, reached #2 on the “Billboard” Heatseekers Albums chart. The track “Many Moons” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. Following this success, Monáe opened for No Doubt during their 2009 tour, further expanding her audience and recognition.
In May 2010, Monáe released her album “The ArchAndroid,” which peaked at #17 on the “Billboard” 200 chart and #4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Her involvement in fun.’s single “We Are Young” in 2011 was a significant achievement, contributing to the song’s Diamond certification in the U.S. and its Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. “The Electric Lady” album was released in September 2013, and it peaked at #5 on the “Billboard” 200. The music video for the single “Q.U.E.E.N.” (featuring Erykah Badu) was viewed four million times on YouTube within its first week.
In 2015, Janelle’s independent Wondaland Arts Society label became Wondaland Records in a partnership with Epic Records. April 2018 saw the release of the album “Dirty Computer” which reached #6 on the “Billboard” 200 and earned a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.
Acting Career and Filmography
Beyond music, Janelle Monáe has made significant strides in her acting career. In 2016, she appeared in two critically acclaimed films, “Moonlight” and “Hidden Figures,” both of which were nominated for Best Picture at the 2017 Academy Awards. “Moonlight” ultimately won the award, and Janelle performed the tracks “Jalapeño” and “Isn’t This the World” on the “Hidden Figures” soundtrack.
Monáe’s filmography includes roles in “Welcome to Marwen” (2018), “Harriet” (2019), “The Glorias” (2020), and “Antebellum” (2020). She also lent her voice to animated films such as “Rio 2” (2014), “UglyDolls” (2019), and “Lady and the Tramp” (2019). In 2020, she joined the cast of the Prime Video series “Homecoming,” showcasing her versatility as a performer.
Awards and Recognition
Janelle Monáe has received numerous accolades throughout her career. These include eight Grammy nominations, four BET Awards nominations, four “Billboard” Music Awards nominations, and two Brit Awards nominations. Her “Q.U.E.E.N.” video earned her an MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction, an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video, and a Soul Train Music Award for Video of the Year.
In 2010, the ASCAP Awards honored Monáe with the Vanguard Award, and “I Like That” was named one of the Top R&B/Hip-hop songs of 2019. She has won two “Billboard” Women in Music awards (the Rising Star Award in 2013 and the Trailblazer of the Year in 2018), two Black Girls Rock! Awards (the Who Got Next Award and the Young, Gifted & Black Award), an Essence Award (the Black Women in Music Award), a GLAAD Media Award (Outstanding Music Artist), two Queerty Awards (Queer anthem for “Pynk” and Badass), and a “Variety” Breakthrough in Music Award.
For her acting, Monáe won a Breakout Performance award for “Moonlight” and “Hidden Figures” from the African-American Film Critics Association. She also received a Rising Star Award from the Black Film Critics Circle Awards and a Virtuoso Award at the 2017 Santa Barbara International Film Festival for the same films. She won Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female for “Hidden Figures” at the 2017 Black Reel Awards. The Women Film Critics Circle Awards honored her with an Invisible Woman Award for “Harriet” in 2019 and gave Janelle, Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Kirsten Dunst a Women’s Work/Best Ensemble award for “Hidden Figures” in 2016.
Monáe shared several awards with her “Moonlight” castmates, including a Film Independent Spirit Award and a Gold Derby Award, and the “Hidden Figures” cast won a Screen Actors Guild Award. Monáe has also received two Hollywood Film Awards: Song of the Year for “What is Love” from “Rio 2” and the Spotlight Award for “Hidden Figures.”
Real Estate Investment
In April 2020, Janelle Monáe expanded her asset portfolio with the purchase of a 3,403 square foot home in the Hollywood Hills for $3.9 million. The property, comprised of two interconnected houses, includes amenities such as an outdoor kitchen, a swimming pool, a wet bar, and an outdoor claw-footed bathtub.
