March is one of the most important months of 2023 astrologically. March is going to be a game-changer for many people, and this is the month that changes everything for the collective. The month begins in Pisces Season with Mercury entering Pisces on March 2nd. Perspectives are opening to new compassion and guidance right now, and anything feels possible. Mercury in Pisces brings a spiritual approach to the world, and divine clarity is taking place this month- pay attention to the signs.
The Full Moon of the month is happening in Virgo, and this Full Moon will be occurring on March 7th. This Full Moon is the Worm Moon of the year, and new developments are taking place right now. This Full Moon is about letting go of the chaos, getting organized, and focusing on your health and what is worthy of your time. Saturn makes its significant transit from Aquarius into Pisces on the same day, and this is when things start to change. Saturn in Pisces turns the focus from the material to the spiritual. A lot of people will be moving through an inner awakening during this time, and the world at large will be more focused on transparency, compassion for humanity, and learning to trust and grow your intuition and connection to the universe.
When it comes to matters of the heart, Venus enters Taurus on March 16th, and love is about being grounded, supportive, and allowing romance to fill your world. Venus in Taurus is sensual, beautiful, and appreciates the value of love. Don’t be afraid to show others how you feel and focus on what feels stable and secure for you in your relationships right now. On the 20th, Aries Season officially begins, and there is a spark of excitement in the air right now. Aries Season is feisty and the passion runs high during this time. With a New Moon in Aries the next day on the 21st, the end of March is all about independence, courage, and setting intentions for where you want to be.
Pluto moves into Aquarius on March 23rd, where it will remain until 2043. Pluto's transits are generational, so Pluto’s move into Aquarius is a big one. Pluto now moving through this air sign is all about the progression of humanity, and about focusing more on what is going to serve the collective rather than just the self. A few days later, Mars moves into emotional Cancer after being in Gemini since August 2022, and this is good news as there will be less mental chaos, and more emotional growth, clarity, and progression.
If you are looking for a change in your life, March is the month it's going to happen for you.
Aries Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
AriesKyra Jay for xoNecoleMarch for you is all about not giving up on your dreams, Aries. Open your mind to the possibilities of what is ahead of you, and remember your strength when things feel challenging. With Saturn moving into your 12th house of endings, closure, and healing on March 7th until May 2025, you enter a multi-year journey of resolution, and a spiritual awakening will be occurring during this time.
There is a lot of energy moving through Aries in March with your season beginning toward the end of the month. Starting March 19th, Mercury enters your sign, the next day Aries Season begins, and the day after that on the 21st, there is a New Moon in Aries as well. Change is evident for you in March, and it’s all about knowing the difference between what is out of your control, and what can be transformed.
Taurus Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
TaurusKyra Jay for xoNecoleMarch is a month of success for you, Taurus. You have gotten your groove back, and you are moving full speed ahead. The support, achievements, and personal growth you have been working toward are all happening for you this month, and there is a lot to be grateful for right now. Align with your determination, focus on your goals, and claim your success.
There is something beautiful happening this month and that is Venus, your ruling planet, entering your sign from March 16th - April 11th. Love is on your side and it’s time to find your balance within your relationships. You are being received especially favorably in March and it’s all about allowing yourself to feel the joy in how far you have come, and the love that is coming your way right now.
Gemini Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
GeminiKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis is the month to put the work in, Gemini. March is all about honing in on your skills and talents in life, and also being open to learning something new. Remember that what you put in is a direct reflection of what you get and that it’s time to ground yourself in dreams you are bringing to fruition right now.
Mars has been in your sign for an unusually long time, over six months, and finally moves out of here on March 25th and enters Cancer. With Mars moving out of your sign, you can take a deep breath and release all of the pent-up energy that has been flowing through your world since August 2022. You have learned a lot about yourself during this period, and now you are more clear on what you want to invest in and prioritize moving forward with Mars now moving into your 2nd house of investments and finances until May.
Cancer Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
CancerKyra Jay for xoNecoleTrust the process this month, Cancer. It can feel like a lot is happening for you at once in March, and your main guidance for the month is to take things easy and not let life overwhelm you. Take a look at what is true, and what may be self-sabotage stemming from overthinking. Do what you can in each moment, and save what you can’t for another day.
The Full Moon happening this month on the 7th will be moving through your house of communication, and you are receiving important clarity and ready to let go of what’s been mentally impacting your happiness. Mars moves into your sign before the month ends on the 25th, and that sense of feeling drained at the beginning of the month begins to turn around for you now as you enter an action-packed next few months.
Leo Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
LeoKyra Jay for xoNecoleMarch is all about perspective for you, Leo. Life is really what you make it this month and the more you can focus on what is working out for you rather than what isn’t, the better. Look at changes to plans as new opportunities and try to see the treasures in what is presenting itself to you this month.
Saturn makes its new journey into your 8th house of transformation, debt, taxes, shared resources, sex, death, and rebirth this month as well. Over the next few years, you will be moving through a time of feeling more challenged when it comes to change and recognizing some fears and emotional patterns that need to be addressed. The month ends with a New Moon in your 9th house of adventure on the 21st, and you are embarking on a new, exciting path.
Virgo Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
VirgoKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis is a beautiful month of clarity, pleasure, and patience, Virgo. This month is setting you up to enjoy your time more and appreciate those little moments of bliss. You have planted the seeds, and right now it’s about nurturing your garden of dreams. There is new life upon you in March and you are truly seeing the fruits of your labor over the next few months.
At the beginning of March on the 7th, there is a Full Moon in your sign. This Full Moon is giving your clarity and shining the spotlight on you and who you are. Let go of what doesn’t support you and your growth, and dream big. On the 16th Venus moves into Taurus, and this is good news for you as a fellow earth sign. Love, relationships, and personal finances are all getting a boost of excitement and adventure for you until April 11th. Enjoy your life, Virgo.
Libra Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
LibraKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis is a powerful month for you, and you are manifesting your dreams, Libra. The power is in your hands right now, and you have all the tools necessary to succeed. March is all about offering a new perspective and allowing yourself to give the love you are wishing to receive. Write lists of gratitude, and know that the good you are feeling this month is only the beginning for you.
Saturn moves into your 6th house of health on the 7th where it will remain for the next few years. Health and working matters become prominent in your life, and this is where you should be investing more of your time and energy. Envision what a healthy, good, daily routine would look like for you, then take those steps toward that. The New Moon of the month happens on the 21st, and you are ready to start fresh in love.
Scorpio Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
ScorpioKyra Jay for xoNecoleMarch is a revelation month for you, Scorpio. You are gaining clarity on what experiences need to be laid to rest, and what growth can be enhanced through your positive attention toward them. The month begins with a Full Moon in your 11th house of friendship, and you are seeing who your people are this month. Don’t be afraid to open up and express to your support systems how you are feeling.
Your ruling planet Pluto makes a significant transit in March and that is its move from Capricorn into Aquarius. Pluto has been in Capricorn since 2008, as its transits are lengthy. Pluto will now be in your 4th house of home and family from March 2022 to March 2043. Pluto's attention here brings empowerment into your home life, but you will also be experiencing some intense changes. Generational healing will be taking place now.
Sagittarius Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
SagittariusKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis month is all about the vision, Sagittarius. Your empowerment is coming through from your positive and open perspective, and you are seeing things clearly right now. There is a lot of passion and excitement in your life in March, and everything feels possible for you right now. Saturn moves into Pisces on the 7th and into your 4th house, and you will be laying some new foundations in your life over the next few years and will be challenged to find more stability in your life.
On the 21st of the month, there is a New Moon in fellow fire sign Aries, and this is a romantic New Moon for you. Set your intentions for your relationships and love life during this time, and see what blooms for you. March is all about broadening your horizons and considering the possibilities of what is ahead of you. Consider the best possible outcome for yourself- then imagine it going even better than that.
Capricorn Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
CapricornKyra Jay for xoNecoleBalance is coming into your life this month, Capricorn. You have some important decisions to make this month, and you are also seeing the positive results of past intentions and paths that have been walked on. Karma is on your side right now and with your ruling planet Saturn making a significant transit into Pisces this month, you are feeling more light-heartedness in your life and will be working toward growth with friendships, neighbors, siblings, and business.
Moving further into the month, Venus moves into a fellow earth sign and will be in your house of love, happiness, and romance from March 16th to April 11th. There are a lot of opportunities for bliss coming into your life now and remember to remind yourself that you are worthy of this unconditional love. Express yourself and let the scales come into balance.
Aquarius Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
AquariusKyra Jay for xoNecoleEverything is coming full circle for you this month, Aquarius. March is your time of culmination and seeing positive progression when it comes to your financial world. Support is there for you, abundance surrounds you, and you are growing. This month is here to bless you and make sure you feel confident, grounded, and like you have everything you need in your life.
One of the most significant transits of the year for you is happening in March, and that is Pluto's entry into your sign. Pluto will be in your sign from 2022 to 2043, and you are moving through a long-term journey of finding yourself, expressing yourself, and feeling empowered doing so. Aquarians are often changing the world in some way, and you are aligning with this power of knowing what humanity needs to grow and progress right now.
Pisces Monthly Horoscope for March 2023
PiscesKyra Jay for xoNecoleThere is a settling down happening in your life this month, Pisces. March is a time to honor yourself, your energy, and your perspective, and allow change to take place gracefully. You need more time to figure some things out right now and you are choosing between two opportunities and paths forward. Give yourself space to work things out, and trust that the answers will come to you.
Saturn moves into Pisces on March 7th, where it will remain until 2025. You are entering a new journey of feeling more pressure to grow, develop, and be able to stand on your own for the time being. This time in your life isn’t here to push you around, but it is here to make sure you have enough foundation on your own to withstand the tests of time no matter what comes your way. You are growing, you are blooming, and you always have the power of choice.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Kyra Jay for xoNecole
- 12 Mantras To Cultivate 2023 Energy For The Year Ahead ›
- Saturn In Pisces Horoscopes Every Sign 2023-2026 - xoNecole: Women's Interest, Love, Wellness, Beauty ›
Amber Riley has the type of laugh that sticks with you long after the raspy, rhythmic sounds have ceased. It punctuates her sentences sometimes, whether she’s giving a chuckle to denote the serious nature of something she just said or throwing her head back in rip-roarious laughter after a joke. She laughs as if she understands the fragility of each minute. She chooses laughter often with the understanding that future joy is not guaranteed.
Credit: Ally Green
The sound of her laughter is rivaled only by her singing voice, an emblem of the past and the future resilience of Black women stretched over a few octaves. On Fox’s Glee, her character Mercedes Jones was portrayed, perhaps unfairly, as the vocal duel to Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), offering rough, full-throated belts behind her co-star’s smooth, pristine vocals. Riley’s always been more than the singer who could deliver a finishing note, though.
Portraying Effie White, she displayed the dynamic emotions of a song such as “And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going” in Dreamgirls on London’s West End without buckling under the historic weight of her predecessors. With her instrument, John Mayer’s “Gravity” became a religious experience, a belted hymnal full of growls and churchy riffs. In her voice, Nicole Scherzinger once said she heard “the power of God.”
Credit: Ally Green
Riley’s voice has been a staple throughout pop culture for nearly 15 years now. Her tone has become so distinguishable that most viewers of Fox’s The Masked Singer recognized the multihyphenate even before it was revealed that she was Harp, the competition-winning, gold-masked figure with an actual harp strapped to her back.
Still, it wasn’t until recently that Riley began to feel like she’d found her voice. This sounds unbelievable. But she’s not referring to the one she uses on stage. She’s referencing the voice that speaks to who she is at her core. “Therapy kind of gave me the training to speak my mind,” the 37-year-old says. “It’s not something we’re taught, especially as Black women. I got so comfortable in [doing so], and I really want other people, especially Black women, to get more comfortable in that space.”
“Therapy kind of gave me the training to speak my mind. It’s not something we’re taught, especially as Black women."
If you ask Riley’s manager, Myisha Brooks, she’ll tell you the foundation of who the multihyphenate is hasn’t changed much since she was a kid growing up in Compton. “She is who she is from when I met her back when she was singing in the front of the church to back when she landed major roles in film and TV,” Brooks says. Time has allowed Riley to grow more comfortable, giving fans a more intimate glimpse into her life, including her mental health journey and the ins and outs of show business.
The actress/singer has been in therapy since 2019, although she suffered from depression and anxiety way before that. In a recent interview with Jason Lee, she recalls having suicidal ideation as a kid. By the time she started seeing a psychologist and taking antidepressants in her thirties, her body had become jittery, a physical reminder of the trauma stacked high inside her. “I was shaking in [my therapist’s] office,” she tells xoNecole. “My fight or flight was on such a high level. I was constantly in survival mode. My heart was beating fast all the time. All I did was sweat.”
There wasn’t just childhood trauma to account for. After auditioning for American Idol and being turned away by producers, Riley began working for Ikea and nearly missed her Glee audition because her car broke down on the highway while en route. Thankfully, Riley had been cast to play Mercedes Jones. American Idol had temporarily convinced her she wasn’t cut out for the entertainment industry, but this was validation that she was right where she belonged. Glee launched in 2009 with the promise of becoming Riley’s big break.
In some ways, it was. The show introduced Riley to millions of fans and catapulted her into major Hollywood circles. But in other ways, it became a reminder of the types of roles Black women, especially those who are plus-sized, are relegated to. Behind the scenes, Riley says she fought for her character "to have a voice" but eventually realized her efforts were useless. "It finally got to a point where I was like, this is not my moment. I'm not who they're choosing, and this is just going to have to be a job for me for now," she says. "And, that's okay because it pays my bills, I still get to be on television, I'm doing more than any other Black plus-sized women that I'm seeing right now on screen."
The actress can recognize now that she was navigating issues associated with trauma and low self-esteem at the time. She now knows that she's long had anxiety and depression and can recognize the ways in which she was triggered by how the cult-like following of the show conflicted with her individual, isolated experiences behind the scenes. But she was in her early '20s back then. She didn't yet have the language or the tools to process how she was feeling.
Riley says she eventually sought out medical intervention. "When you're in Hollywood, and you go to a doctor, they give you pills," she says, sharing a part of her story that she'd never revealed publicly before now. "[I was] on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that's not fixing my problem. If anything, it's making it worse."
“[I was] on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that’s not fixing my problem. If anything it’s making it worse.”
Credit: Ally Green
At one point, while in her dressing room on set, she rested her arm on a curling iron without realizing it. It wasn't until her makeup artist alerted her that she even realized her skin was burning. Once she noticed, she says she was "so zonked out on pills" that she barely reacted. Speaking today, she holds up her arm and motions towards a scar that remains from the incident. She sought help for her reliance on the pills, but it would still be years before she finally attended therapy.
This stress was only compounded by the trauma of growing up in poverty and the realities of being a "contract worker." "Imagine going from literally one week having to borrow a car to get to set to the next week being on a private jet to New York City," she says. After Glee ended, so did the rides on private planes. The fury of opportunities she expected to follow her appearance on the show failed to materialize. She wasn't even 30 yet, and she was already forced to consider if she'd hit her career peak.
. . .
We’re only four minutes into our Zoom call before Riley delivers her new adage to me. “My new mantra is ‘humility does not serve me.’ Humility does not serve Black women. The world works so hard to humble us anyway,” she says.
On this Thursday afternoon in April, the LA-based entertainer is seated inside her closet/dressing room wearing a cerulean blue tank top with matching shorts and eating hot wings. This current phase of healing hinges on balance. It’s about having discipline and consistency, but not at the risk of inflexibility. She was planning to head to the gym, for instance, but she’s still tired from the “exhausting” day before. Instead, she’s spent her day receiving a massage, eating some chicken wings, and planning to spend quality time with friends. “I’m not going to beat myself up for it. I’m not going to talk down to myself. I’m going to eat my chicken wings, and then tomorrow I’m [back] in the gym,” she says.
“My new mantra is ‘humility does not serve me.’ Humility does not serve Black women. The world works so hard to humble us anyway."
This is the balance with which she's been approaching much of her life these days. It's why she's worried less about whether or not people see her as someone who is humble. She'd rather be respected. "I think you should be a person that's easy to work with, but in the moments where I have to ruffle feathers and make waves, I'm not shying away from that anymore. You can do it in love, you don't have to be nasty about it, but I had to finally be comfortable with the fact that setting boundaries around my life – in whatever aspect, whether that's personal or business – people are not going to like it. Some people are not going to have nice things to say about you, and you gotta be okay with it," she says.
When Amber talks about the constant humbling of Black women in Hollywood, I think of the entertainers before her who have suffered from this. The brilliant, consistent, overqualified Black women who have spoken of having to fight for opportunities and fair pay. Aretha Franklin. Viola Davis. Tracee Ellis Ross. There's a long list of stars whose success hasn't mirrored their experiences behind the scenes.
Credit: Ally Green
If Black women outside of Hollywood are struggling to decrease the pay gap, so, too, are their wealthier, more famous peers.
Riley says there’s been progress in recent years, but only in small ways and for a limited group of people. “This business is exhausting. The goalpost is constantly moving, and sometimes it’s unfair,” she says. But, I have to say it’s the love that keeps you going.”
“There’s no way you can continue to be in this business and not love it, especially being a plus-sized Black woman,” she continues. “We’re still niche. We’re still not main characters.”
"There’s no way you can continue to be in this business and not love it, especially being a plus-sized Black woman. We’re still niche. We’re still not main characters.”
Last year, Riley starred alongside Raven Goodwin in the Lifetime thriller Single Black Female (a modern, diversified take on 1992’s Single White Female). It was more than a leading role for the actress, it also served as proof that someone who looks like her can front a successful project without it hinging on her identity. It showcased that the characters she portrays don’t “have to be about being a big girl. It can just be a regular story.”
Riley sees her work in music as an extension of her efforts to push past the rigid stereotypes in entertainment. Take her appearance on The Masked Singer, for instance. Riley said she decided to perform Mayer’s “Gravity” after being told she couldn’t sing it years earlier. “I wanted to do ‘Gravity’ on Glee. [I] was told no, because that’s not a song that Mercedes would do,” she says. “That was a full circle moment for me, doing that on that show and to hear what it is they had to say.”
As Scherzinger praised the “anointed” performance, a masked Riley began to cry, her chest heaving as she stood on stage, her eyes shielded from view. “You have to understand, I have really big names – casting directors, producers, show creators – that constantly tell me ‘I’m such a big fan. Your talent is unmatched.’ Hire me, then,” she says, reflecting on the moment.
Recently, she’s been in the studio working on original music, the follow-up to her independently-released debut EP, 2020’s Riley. The sequel to songs such as the anthemic “Big Girl Energy” and the reflective ballad “A Moment” on Riley, this new project hones in on the singer’s R&B roots with sensual grooves such as the tentatively titled “All Night.” “You said I wasn’t shit, turns out that I’m the shit. Then you called me a bitch, turns out that I’m that bitch. You said no one would want me, well you should call your homies,” she sings on the tentatively titled “Lately,” a cut about reflecting on a past relationship. From the forthcoming project, xoNecole received five potential tracks. Fans likely already know the strengths and contours of Riley’s vocals, but these new songs are her strongest, most confident offerings as an artist.
“I am so much more comfortable as a writer, and I know who I am as an artist now. I’m evolving as a human being, in general, so I’m way more vulnerable in my music. I’m way more willing to talk about whatever is on my mind. I don’t stop myself from saying what it is I want to say,” she says.
Credit: Ally Green
“Every era and alliteration of Amber, the baseline is ‘Big Girl Energy.’ That’s the name of her company,” her manager Brooks says, referencing the imprint through which Riley releases her music after getting out of a label deal several years ago. “It’s just what she stands for. She’s not just talking about size, it’s in all things. Whether it’s putting your big girl pants on and having to face a boardroom full of executives or sell yourself in front of a casting agent. It’s her trying to achieve the things she wants to do in life.”
Riley says she has big dreams beyond releasing this new music, too. She’d love to star in a rom-com with Winston Duke. She hasn't starred in a biopic yet, but she’d revel in the opportunity to portray Rosetta Tharpe on screen. She’s determined that her previous setbacks won’t stop her from dreaming big.
“I think one of my superpowers is resilience because, at the end of the day, I’m going to kick, scream, cry, cuss, be mad and disappointed, but I’m going to get up and risk having to deal with it all again. It’s worth it for the happy moments,” she says.
If Riley seems more comfortable and confident professionally, it’s because of the work she’s been doing in her personal life.
She’d previously spoken to xoNecole about becoming engaged to a man she discovered in a post on the site, but she called things off last year. For Valentine’s Day, she revealed her new boyfriend publicly. “I decided to post him on Valentine’s Day, partially because I was in the dog house. I got in trouble with him,” she says, half-joking before turning serious. “The breakup was never going to stop me from finding love. Or at least trying. I don’t owe anybody a happily ever after. People break up. It happens. When it was good, it was good. When it was bad, it was terrible, hunny. I had to get the fuck up out of there. You find happiness, and you enjoy it and work through it.”
Credit: Ally Green
"I don’t owe anybody a happily ever after. People break up. It happens. When it was good, it was good. When it was bad, it was terrible, hunny. I had to get the fuck up out of there. You find happiness and you enjoy it and work through it.”
With her ex, Riley was pretty outspoken about her relationship, even appearing in content for Netflix with him. This time around is different. She’s not hiding her boyfriend of eight months, but she’s more protective of him, especially because he’s a father and isn’t interested in becoming a public figure.
She’s traveling more, too. It’s a deliberate effort on her part to enjoy her money and reject the trauma she’s developed after experiencing poverty in her childhood. “I live in constant fear of being broke. I don’t think you ever don’t remember that trauma or move past that. Now I travel and I’m like, listen, if it goes, it goes. I’m not saying [to] be reckless, but I deserve to enjoy my hard work.”
After everything she’s been through, she certainly deserves to finally let loose a bit. “I have to have a life to live,” she says. “I’ve got to have a life worth fighting for.”
Credits
Director of Content: Jasmine Grant
Campaign Manager: Chantal Gainous
Managing Editor: Sheriden Garrett
Creative Director/Executive Producer: Tracey Woods
Cover Designer: Tierra Taylor
Photographer: Ally Green
Photo Assistant: Avery Mulally
Digital Tech: Kim Tran
Video by Third and Sunset
DP & Editor: Sam Akinyele
2nd Camera: Skylar Smith
Camera Assistant: Charles Belcher
Stylist: Casey Billingsley
Hairstylist: DaVonte Blanton
Makeup Artist: Drini Marie
Production Assistants: Gade De Santana, Apu Gomes
Powered by: European Wax Center
In the later years of her career, after the release of her studio albums The Electric Lady in 2013 and 2018's Dirty Computer, many began to notice the shift in Monáe's artistry and fashion, which some widely praised.
Although the now 37-year-old rarely addressed the reason behind the transformation over the years, that would all change when Monáe sat down with radio personality Angie Martinez on her IRL podcast earlier this month.
During the interview, Monáe --who was promoting her latest album, "The Age of Pleasure"-- opened up about her mental health struggles, how she would cope, and why she chose to live in freedom.
Janelle On Why She Stopped Wearing Her Signature Suits All the Time
Janelle Monáe
Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
In the May discussion, the "I Like That" vocalist revealed she suffers from anxiety, which she claimed would occur around "winter to spring."
Monáe added that when she has her bouts with anxiety, she tends to turn to food as a coping mechanism. Further in the interview, the "Lipstick Lover" singer disclosed that her emotional eating habits caused a weight fluctuation and that she could no longer fit into the suits she once wore earlier in her career.
Monáe explained that even though she tried to diet and exercise to return to her smaller figure, she ultimately stopped and made peace with herself with the help of therapy because she acknowledged that she isn't the same person she was nearly a decade ago and shouldn't try to be even if it was a highly "celebrated" version.
"I'm petite, but it can get thick... When I couldn't fit them suits anymore, and I was like, 'Oh my God, what is going on?' I would be dieting, running, or exercising, trying to fit into [it]. I'm just like, 'No. No, we're here. This is where we are.' We [are] not about to be utilizing life trying to be an old version of ourselves. No matter how celebrated that version of me was. I'm here. I'm here," she said.
Janelle On Freedom
As the topic shifted to freedom and what that meant to Monáe, the "Primetime" vocalist shared that in this new era of her life, she enjoys it because she can boldly express herself however she wants and honor who she is as a person right now.
Monáe also revealed that she had found ways to become a better artist and the best version of herself because of her freedom.
"What is the new version of freedom? What does that feel like? That's usually when I feel the most free is when artistically, I can honor exactly who I am right now," she stated. "I feel most free as a human when I can honor exactly who I am right now."
Monáe's fourth studio album, The Age of Pleasure, is set to be released on June 9.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
