Janelle Monáe has been announced as the headliner for 2020’s NYC Pride Island, according to a tweet by NYC Pride on March 6. Monáe joins an already stellar line-up, including Betty Who, Pussy Riot, and Luísa Sonza.
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“The diverse lineup displayed on last year’s stage was a monumental moment for the LGBTQIA+ community and New Yorkers alike,” said André Thomas, Pride Island Director, in a statement to AMNY. “Inviting Monáe to perform at Pier 97 along with Who, Sonza, and Pussy Riot is the future of Pride Island – a multi-day LGBTQIA+ cultural experience.”
Monáe’s involvement in the 2020 Pride season comes amidst an exciting period for the performer. Slated to star in the upcoming thriller film “Antebellum” and season two of Netflix’s “Homecoming,” the actress/singer is only adding to the buzz she garnered from her opening performance at the Oscars, where she called out the award show’s diversity pitfalls.
“Pride means so much to so many of us, and to have the opportunity to share my live performance during Pride has always been a dream,” Monáe told AMNY. “Celebrating Pride in NYC is a rite of passage for a queer person, I am grateful for the community it creates and I can’t wait to party with everyone.”
One of the best parts of Monáe’s addition to the stage is that she’s unpredictable. That means, none of us know what she’ll do for Pride; however, we can assume that she’ll pull out all the stops. From over-the-top theatrics to amazing (and lez be real, probably rainbow-colored) outfits, all any of us excited gays can do is sit tight and wait for the fantastic and unbelievable performance to come. If you want to see it in person, I’d suggest you snag tickets as soon as they’re available on March 13th — it’s going to be one for the books!
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