Janelle Monáe Robinson (born December 1, 1985), known professionally as Janelle Monáe , is an American musical recording artist and actress, signed to Bad Boy Records, Wondaland Arts Society, and Atlantic Records. After making a mark with her first unofficial studio album, The Audition, she debuted publicly with a conceptual EP titled , which peaked at number 115 on the Billboard 200 in the United States.