Janelle Monae. Photo by Jheyda McGarrell
Janelle Monáe is back with “Float,” her first new song since 2021. The track enlists Seun Kuti and his group Egypt 80, an Afrobeat institution that only gives some indication of where the track is headed. “Float” is more reminiscent of the big band-inspired trap music that sprouted up a few years ago in the wake of Chance The Rapper‘s popularity — Monáe also employs the Migos triplet flow as she raps about a newfound skill at deflecting doubt both internal and external.
“Float” arrives after Monáe garnered significant critical acclaim as an actress for her role in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Since releasing her last studio album Dirty Computer in 2018, she’s also starred in Welcome To Marwen, Harriet, and the controversial slavery horror film Antebellum.
