Janelle Monáe is creating buzz on social media after her intriguing claim during a recent interview with Lucy Dacus for Rolling Stone. The conversation turned heads when Monáe casually mentioned that she traveled back in time to the 1970s and witnessed a David Bowie performance.
In the midst of their discussion, Monáe shared her admiration for Bowie’s striking costumes and performances, particularly recalling his legendary set for “Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.” With a serious demeanor, she remarked, “I traveled back into the 1970s and I saw him do ‘Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,’ and it was incredible.” Dacus, visibly perplexed by the statement, asked, “You traveled back?” to which Monáe affirmed, “Yeah, it was backstage,” further adding that she then “jetted back to the 2000s.”
This whimsical claim is not new for Monáe, who has previously incorporated themes of time travel into her persona and artistic expression. In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, she referred to herself as “part-android” and mentioned a “time traveling machine” she claimed exists in Atlanta. In 2022, Monáe expressed in another interview her identity as a “time traveler” who intentionally chooses to stay in the present moment to appreciate her current experiences.
Fans and commentators have echoed Dacus’s bewilderment across social media, with some enjoying the surreal assertion. One user commented, “My girl Lucy had the reaction for all of us,” while another humorously noted, “Janelle was like did I stutter when she reiterated her point and you know I love that for her.” Sherri Shepherd humorously remarked on her talk show about Monáe, saying, “I love Janelle Monáe, but she sounds crazy as hell.” Contrastingly, on the “Today” show, Jenna Bush Hager speculated about her extraordinary claims, suggesting, “maybe she has powers beyond our understanding,” while Savannah Guthrie backed Monáe, stating, “I believe her.”
Monáe’s blend of music, fashion, and fantastical claims continues to captivate audiences, encouraging fans to explore the boundaries of reality and imagination. As she blurs the lines between art and life, her engaging persona remains a source of fascination and entertainment in the industry.