Janelle Monáe Announces New Album and Film ‘Dirty Computer’

Although Janelle Monáe has kept herself busy in the last few years, her musical output has been missed — but not any longer. The multi-talented artist is slated to release her first album since 2013's The Electric Lady. Titled Dirty Projector, the LP will stand alongside a narrative film project, which Monáe dubs an "emotion picture." The film will air before Blank Panther screenings in select theaters nationwide.

This project will also be Monáe's return to the screen. Her latest films, Hidden Figures and Moonlight, did well in the award circuit, with Figures winning a SAG award for Outstanding Cast, and Moonlight taking home three Academy Awards, including Best Picture after that debacle.

The artist also unveiled the first trailer for the film, which appears to take place in a futuristic world, demonstrating the range of emotion and controversies that Monáe touches upon throughout this endeavor. Watch the clip below.