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Finally, a successor for Prince has been found. And her name is Janelle Monáe. The singer-songwriter was born in Kansas in 1985, but later moved to Atlanta where she met rapper Big Boi of OutKast. This marked the start of her career. In 2010 her debut album ArchAndroid was released on Sean Combs's label Bad Boy Entertainment. Monáe creates highly danceable, funky tunes that are inspired by several sources, ranging from jazz to soul, and from hip-hop to world music. Last year Monáe made her first appearance at the North Sea Jazz Festival, and she made an indelible impression. Besides being a talented vocalist with both brains and balls, it turns out she is a born performer. Monáe also is a strong-willed young woman, who ignores all dress codes for young female artists. No sexy outfits or long, shiny hair for Monáe. She prefers to appear on stage wearing a tuxedo, flat shoes and her Little Richard hairdo.
