Monáe claims time travel to see Bowie perform in the 1970s

Janelle Monáe said in a recent interview that they traveled back in time to the 1970s to watch David Bowie perform, a claim the 39 year old singer, songwriter and actor made while talking with fellow musician Lucy Dacus. Monáe said they saw Bowie perform the Ziggy Stardust material from backstage and that the experience crystallized their artistic ambitions and approach to transformation.

"I traveled back into the 1970s and I saw him do Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, and it was incredible," Monáe said. They added that after the visit they "jetted back to the 2000s" and realized they could combine musical theatre, songwriting and community building around transformation and queer identity. Monáe uses she and they pronouns.

In the recorded conversation, Dacus asked for clarification when Monáe described the time travel, visibly surprised. Monáe reiterated that they had been backstage and that the moment defined what they wanted to do creatively. They also said they feel connected to future influences, mentioning their longtime alter ego Cindi Mayweather, the android character central to Monáe's 2010 release The ArchAndroid, and describing a reciprocal relationship...