Janelle Monáe is one of those artists who you’ll never predict her next move. Like her mentor Prince, she is as likely to show up on the scene dressed like she’s going to a job interview one day and the after-hours spot the next. Prince had booty-revealing pants. And once her crush Nia Long told the “Yoga” artist she had “pretty titties,” she started flashing them everywhere she went. Self-identifying as a “free a** motherf**ker,” those who wondered which team she was on found out she was very much in the LGBTQ+ lane. With fans curious about the artist’s guarded dating life, they have guessed about Janelle Monáe’s partner for years. The answer is anything but straightforward.
Janelle Monáe’s Partner Might Have Been Tessa Thompson — Maybe
Creed fans were consistently trying to ship Tessa Thompson and Michael B. Jordan since the first movie’s release in 2015, but Thompson’s repeated appearances alongside Janelle Monáe made that match-making slow down. While Thompson confirmed she is bisexual and Janelle Monáe came out as pansexual, neither of the two would confirm nor deny that they were an item. Eventually, fans of both ladies stopped seeing them together on social media and music videos as often and eventually not at all.
Once again within the MBJ circle (this time with Black Panther), rumors swirled that Janelle Monáe was dating Lupita Nyong’o, who confirmed that they’d been cool since the Met Gala in 2014. However, at the time, Nyong’o was dating (now-ex) TV host and designer Selema Masekela. They met in 2016 but did not confirm an official relationship until six years later.
Comically summarizing what it’s like the first 10 days of dating her, Janelle Monáe has still been consistently quiet about who she has, has not and will date. Even when paparazzi spotted her cuddling up with Wondaland Arts Society collaborator Nate Wonder at a yacht party, her lips were sealed. While this year’s Met Gala photos with racecar driver Lewis Hamilton looked more brother-sister than dating, Janelle Monáe is definitely not afraid of a good flirt. Look no further than her singing and dancing videos with Usher at one of his notorious Las Vegas residency concerts.
It’s Unclear if Janelle Monáe Is Dating Anyone At All
So who is Janelle Monáe’s partner now? Who knows? She’d rather let people guess than tell them her dating history anyway. That’s part of the “free” living she always wanted. Even if the singer was dating or married to anyone, it’s unlikely that we’d know who Janelle Monáe’s partner was unless she decided to make a public announcement.