Janelle Monáe

Mastodon's "A Spoonful Weighs a Ton" is featured in September's edition of Heavy Rotation. Jimmy Hubbard hide caption

A screenshot from the music video for "Turntables." Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Frank Ocean's song "Nights" is on Gerrick D. Kennedy's Pride playlist, which includes songs he says "remind me to stand in my power as a Black queer man in America." Jason Merritt/Getty Images hide caption

Music speaks truth to anger and frustration, but also provides a sense of hope and beauty. Rashida Chavis for NPR hide caption

Pussy Riot's performance at SXSW — one of Ann Powers' favorite concert experiences of 2018 — felt like an occupation of the senses. Hutton Supancic/Getty Images for SXSW hide caption

Beyoncé performs onstage during Coachella on April 14, 2018. Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella hide caption

Janelle Monae performs in 2018 in Los Angeles. Kevin Winter/Getty Images and Angela Hsieh/NPR hide caption

Favorite Albums So Far Angela Hsieh/NPR hide caption

It's hard to deny Cardi B's "I Like It." YouTube hide caption

Stay sauced up and bossed up. Eslah Attar & Samantha Clark/NPR hide caption

Janelle Monáe is the past, present and future. JUCO/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Janelle Monae's third album Dirty Computer arrives April 27. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Janelle Monáe Juco/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

NPR's soon-to-be London correspondent Ari Shapiro on his trusty steed. Denise DeBelius/NPR hide caption