Sydnee Monday

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

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

'Rookie On Love,' edited by Tavi Gevinson. Penguin Young Readers hide caption

Musician and spiritual leader Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda released Journey In Satchidananda, the album that would become synonymous with her sound, in 1971. Echoes/Redferns hide caption

Odette sets her healing process to music with the acoustic version of "Collide." Metaxia Coustas/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Jorja Smith performs at the Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival in 2017. Kevin Winter/Getty Images hide caption

Brent Faiyaz went to the Dominican Republic for the recording of Sonder Son. Mark Peaced/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Sabrina Claudio's new album About Time is out now. Kanya Iwana/Courtesy of Warner Music Group hide caption

NSTASIA's debut EP comes out this fall. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

H.E.R.'s Volume 2 is out now. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Solána Rowe, aka SZA, released one of 2017's most anticipated albums on Friday. Courtesy of the artist hide caption