Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines
<p>As viewers from all over watch <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/janelle-monae-set-to-star-as-the-iconic-josephine-baker-in-forthcoming-tv-series-de-la-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Janelle Monáe</a> in <em>Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery</em>, she&#8217;s looking back on her humble aspirations from before she was a big-name star.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Janelle Monáe Sought Comfortable Freedom Instead Of Fame</h3>
<p>In a recent sit-down with <a href="https://people.com/movies/janelle-monaes-modest-pre-fame-goal-was-to-get-500-fans-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>People</em></a>, Janelle spoke on her mindset while pursuing a career in the entertainment business.</p>
<p>From jump, she says that the goal was never to be famous. Rather, Monáe was more concerned with whether she&#8217;d be able to make a living by doing what she loves.</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="mntl-sc-block_1-0-4" class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html">&#8220;It wasn&#8217;t about being famous for me, ever. It was always about, first of all, can I do the art that I want to do freely, unapologetically, and can I make a living from that as well?&#8221;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>She added, &#8220;I didn&#8217;t want to have to go home to Kansas and move back in with my family.&#8221; Relatable!</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">She Absolutely CRUSHED Her Initial Goal Of Garnering 500 Fans: &#8216;I&#8217;m So Thankful&#8217;</h3>
<p>Ultimately, Janelle moved down to Atlanta to pursue music after studying at New York City&#8217;s American Musical and Dramatic Academy. During this time, she was working side hustles to support herself, and she sought to one day support herself by doing what she loves.</p>
<p>In fact, Janelle described the prospect of having 500 supportive fans, along with the means to &#8220;just have an apartment and a car,&#8221; as her &#8220;dream.&#8221;</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I was [like], as long as I can have 500 fans, that&#8217;s it. If they buy all of my stuff every time it comes out, then I can just have an apartment and a car. That was really the dream for me.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Ultimately, projects like &#8220;Tightrope,&#8221; <em>The </em><em>ArchAndroid</em>, and <em>The Electric Lady</em> led Janelle to big-name success. She was also featured on &#8220;We Are Young&#8221; by fun, which was a hit track that helped further catapult her artistry.</p>
<p>However, she&#8217;s also made quite a name for herself in the acting. Aside from <em>Glass Onion</em>, Janelle also scored roles in <em>The Glorias</em>, <em>Harriet</em>, and <em>Hidden Figures</em>. As a result, Janelle Monáe has become a household name.</p>
<p>With her career reaching heights that she initially hadn&#8217;t anticipated, Janelle is eternally grateful for her reality.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m swimming in gratitude. I&#8217;m so thankful.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Shoutout to Janelle Monáe for eclipsing her initial goal, and we wish the best of luck to anyone following similar pursuits.</p>
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