Janelle Monae

Fritzclub, Berlin, a grand opening to the strains of "Suite II Overture"; Janelle Monáe strides onstage rapping the lines of "Dance or Die"; before us stands the star of one of the best albums of 2010, "The Archandroid". It's not every day that a futuristic concept album comes along blending r'n'b, pop, funk and soul so brilliantly. Backed onstage by her wild bunch of musicians and dancers, who form an integral part of the whole show, the girl from Kansas, rising star of black music, begins telling us about her impossible love story set in the year 2719. After the funky rhythms of "Faster" and the pop of "Locked Inside", we're left spellbound by the pure emotion of "Smile", where Janelle, backed only by Kalindo on guitar, lays herself bare more sincerely than ever, almost suspended in time, "human" again in the grace of her voice and her 25 years, before plunging back into the exuberant whirl of "The Archandroid".

The show is a kind of themed spectacle, all theatrical poses, painted backdrops, masks and assorted whimsical props, which at times almost draw a smile, given the contrast between certain exaggerated caricatures and Janelle's childlike lightness. Live, the songs take on a rock impact unheard on the album, though this sometimes keeps her voice from fully showing its airy vitality, as happens in part with the sweet "Oh Maker". The soul of "Mashrooms & Roses" starts out melodically understated, before launching into an explosive final crescendo of biting guitar notes and Janelle's shouted vocals; "Cold War" hits home every time you hear it, just like the song's moving video.

The album's other single, "Tightrope", the last song before the encore, manages to fully win over the crowd, drawn in by the band's ability to convey the song's r'n'b energy through choreography, just as it once captivated David Letterman. The live show closes with the most rock track on "The Archandroid", "Come Alive", with a striking final staging as the crowd joins the band for the show's last notes and moments. And so, amid applause, Janelle Monáe bids farewell to the crowd and to Berlin, returning to the sci-fi world she stepped out of for one night, an android with a voice and charisma all her own.

(photo by Costanza Piancastelli)

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