Janelle Monae to Join Belgian Star Stromae at Madison Square Garden
Janelle Monáe will join Belgian dance-pop star Stromae at his headlining gig at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 1st.
Stromae is the first French-language artist to headline the hallowed arena. The concert will conclude Stromae’s North American tour, which kicks off September 12th at the James L. Knight Center in Miami. Save for that gig, Stromae will be supported by Jidenna, the first artist Monáe announced from her revamped Epic Records imprint, Wondaland Records. A complete list of Stromae’s fall dates is available here.
Stromae remains on the road in support of his massively successful 2013 LP, Racine Carrée. The LP’s first single, “Papaoutai,” reached Number One on iTunes in 18 countries, while his music has garnered praise from Madonna, Diplo, Sam Smith, Lorde — who featured him on the Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 soundtrack — and Kanye West, who joined him on stage at Coachella in April.
As for Monáe, the singer has been busy with her Wondaland label, which will release Wondaland Presents: The Eephus on August 14th. The five-track EP boasts Monáe and Jidenna’s collaboration, “Yoga,” as well as Jidenna’s single, “Classic Man.” The compilation also includes songs from other Wondaland acts, St. Beauty, Deep Cotton and Roman GianArthur.
The Eephus marks Wondaland’s first project after striking a deal with L.A. Reid and Epic Records earlier this year after being courted by numerous major labels, as Billboard reported. “It’s not just one type of artist, but there’s a connective tissue,” Mikael Moore — Monae’s manager and official head of Wondaland — said of the tight-knit group. “It’s about the collective rather than individuals — Janelle is the proprietor, but they’re partners with her.”