“Float,” which Janelle Monáe initially teased on her hugely popular Instagram, was first heard late last year as the official anthem of ABC/ESPN’s NBA Saturday Primetime campaign, with Janelle contributing voiceover narration to promo spots highlighting the biggest matchups and stars in the league. The track was used extensively throughout all NBA coverage, spanning promos, primetime matchups, in-game placement, social media, and more. In addition, “Float” was featured in an animated piece celebrating Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James for passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. It was shared across ESPN’s socials and King James’ Instagram to reach more than 275M combined followers.

According to sources closest to Monáe, “Float” is inspired by Muhammed Ali talking shit in Zaire, Jane’s evolution, Mary Poppins’ umbrella, Aladdin’s magic carpet, Ja Morant’s flotation to the rim while dunking on his ops, Sara Elise’s ropes, excerpts from Paramahmsa Nithyananda’s talks on levitation, Raul’s toast on Dec 1, and Bruce Lee’s mighty philosophy on being “shapeless, formless,” and becoming one with your surroundings, to be like water…

Monáe is without question one of the most celebrated artists of the modern era, an 8x Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer, performer, and fashion icon known worldwide for her inimitable style and visionary sound. Her genre-bending debut album, The Archandroid, arrived in 2010 and immediately ascended to the top 20 on the Billboard 200 while also earning two Grammy nominations including Best Contemporary R&B Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for the RIAA Gold-certified single, “Tightrope."

The Electric Lady entered the Billboard 200 at No. 5 upon its 2013 release, fueled by collaborations with such like-minded artists as Solange, Esperanza Spalding, and Monáe’s lifelong hero, the one and only Prince. 2018’s Dirty Computer, which received a coveted Grammy nomination for Album Of The Year, features the RIAA Gold-certified hit singles “Make Me Feel” and “I Like That” and was accompanied by a groundbreaking “Emotion Picture” incorporating a number of the album’s visually stunning music videos.

An in-demand collaborator, Monáe is featured on tracks by an incredibly diverse group of artists including Outkast, Big Boi, Kelly Clarkson, Sérgio Mendes, of Montreal, the Coup, Grimes, Estelle, Paolo Nutini, the Internet, Chic, Duran Duran, Goodie Mob, and of course fun., whose “We Are Young” was one of the biggest songs of 2012. Undoubtedly among the 21st century’s most inventive and creative live performers, Monáe has traveled the globe for sold out headline tours, a range of festival appearances, and special guest runs alongside Bruno Mars, Amy Winehouse, No Doubt, Katy Perry, Erykah Badu, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In 2016 Monáe embarked on her acting career with stellar performances in two milestone films, Hidden Figures and Moonlight. Both films received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, with the latter winning the award at the 89th Academy Awards. Her filmography quickly grew to include acclaimed roles in 2018’s Harriet, 2020’s Antebellum, and 2022’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, to name but a few.