One Song

Janelle Monáe S Make Me Feel

October 23, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • Janelle Monáe's "Make Me Feel" is structurally rooted in the 12-bar blues format, mirroring Prince's "Kiss," which is unusual for contemporary pop radio. 
  • Monáe's artistry is defined by significant genre and stylistic fluidity, making her difficult to pigeonhole, a trait shared with her influences Prince and David Bowie. 
  • Despite widespread belief and liner notes suggesting otherwise, Janelle Monáe is not officially credited as a songwriter for "Make Me Feel" in major performing rights organizations, though Prince's influence is strongly felt in the track's instrumentation, particularly the synth work. 
  • Despite her central role and personal connection to Janelle Monáe's "Make Me Feel," she is reportedly not credited as a songwriter for publishing royalties, receiving only performance royalties and master recording income. 
  • The hosts praise Janelle Monáe's evolving artistry, comparing her creative evolution and willingness to blend genres to that of Prince and David Bowie. 
  • The segment introduces a new recurring feature called "One Genre," starting with a deep dive into Deep House, exemplified by the essential listening selection of Fingers Incorporated's album *Another Side* by Larry Heard (Mr. Fingers). 

Segments

Introduction to Make Me Feel
Copied to clipboard!
(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Janelle Monáe’s “Make Me Feel” reveals a more playful and sensual side, marked by Prince-worthy grooves.
  • Summary: The song is described as a declaration of desire and self-expression. Its grooves are noted as being worthy of Prince. The track marked a turning point for Monáe, showcasing a more unapologetically sensual artistry.
Monáe’s Diverse Vocal Styles
Copied to clipboard!
(00:01:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Janelle Monáe possesses a highly distinct and variable vocal style across her discography, making her hard to pin down.
  • Summary: The hosts note that Monáe’s sound changes significantly between tracks like “Pynk” and “Make Me Feel.” Her voice on earlier tracks like “Tightrope” evoked comparisons to James Brown and Pharrell. This stylistic variation is seen as keeping her interesting but potentially making her work hard to track.
Monáe’s Multimedia Artistry
Copied to clipboard!
(00:04:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Monáe’s artistry is inherently multimedia, encompassing music, video, performance, and fashion, with her look constantly evolving.
  • Summary: Her artistic expression is not limited to music; it includes visual and performance elements. Her look is a significant part of her artistry and is not static over time. This comprehensive approach distinguishes her from musicians whose artistry is solely defined by instrumental skill.
Chart Success and Ambiguity
Copied to clipboard!
(00:05:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite ten Grammy nominations, Janelle Monáe has struggled for major solo chart success, though she featured on the number one hit “We Are Young.”
  • Summary: Monáe has never had a solo Billboard Hot 100 number one, barely cracking the chart with “Make Me Feel” at number 99. Her feature on fun.’s “We Are Young” reached number one, demonstrating her reach. The song’s appeal lies partly in its wonderful ambiguity regarding gender and genre fluidity.
Influence of Bowie and Prince
Copied to clipboard!
(00:06:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Monáe cites Prince and David Bowie as major influences, two artists renowned for pioneering genre and gender bending in music.
  • Summary: Bowie’s influence is evident in Monáe’s world-building, which leans into Afrofuturism, exemplified by the companion film for Dirty Computer. Prince served as an early mentor, handpicking Monáe to perform “Let’s Go Crazy” at a 2010 BET tribute. Prince also contributed to Monáe’s track “Givin’ ‘Em What They Love” on Electric Lady.
Prince’s Contribution to “Make Me Feel”
Copied to clipboard!
(00:08:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Prince’s involvement in “Make Me Feel” is confirmed by collaborators, who noted he endorsed the album’s 80s funk/digital direction, though the exact nature of his contribution remains unclear.
  • Summary: A collaborator stated Prince approved of the album’s 80s funk and digital direction, suggesting that was what Monáe needed to be doing. Prince’s DJ, Lenka Paris, claimed Prince contributed a specific, futuristic synth line to the song before his passing. The song “Americans” from the same album also evokes Prince’s sound, particularly in its BPM and snare pattern reminiscent of “Let’s Go Crazy.”
Structural Analysis: 12-Bar Blues
Copied to clipboard!
(00:25:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Both “Make Me Feel” and Prince’s “Kiss” utilize the rare 12-bar blues structure, which dictates their shared chord progression and structural pacing.
  • Summary: When layered and pitched together, the songs reveal identical structural and vibey parallels, falling under the category of musical evocation rather than direct lifting. The 12-bar blues structure, involving one, four, and five chords, is highly unusual in modern pop radio. This shared foundation is a key element linking the two tracks.
Deconstructing “Make Me Feel” Drums
Copied to clipboard!
(00:30:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The percussion in “Make Me Feel” is complex, featuring seven tracks, including mouth sounds on beats two and four, and an 808 bass introduced in the chorus.
  • Summary: The initial sparse beat relies on kick drums and mouth sounds that create a “TikTok” rhythm, which is later layered with an impact sound during the pre-chorus. The chorus introduces a distinctive 808 bass, contrasting with the bass-less nature of Prince’s “Kiss.” The production credits are primarily attributed to Swedish songwriters Mattias Per Larsson and Robin Lennart Fredriksen.
Synth and Guitar Elements
Copied to clipboard!
(00:37:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The synthesizer work in “Make Me Feel” features a dark, spooky arpeggio reminiscent of 1980s synth-wave and a specific synth stab strongly associated with the Minneapolis sound.
  • Summary: A synth swell and stab are identified as sounding distinctly Prince-like, evoking the Minneapolis sound. A specific synth note in the solo section is noted to be the same key (F sharp major) as Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” The guitar work incorporates classic funk tropes followed by a metal trope reminiscent of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.”
Vocal Nuances and Ambiguity
Copied to clipboard!
(00:46:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Monáe’s vocal delivery in the pre-chorus utilizes a microtonal slide, hitting five distinct pitches across a four-note span, a technique impossible on a standard piano.
  • Summary: The lyrics are praised for their universal applicability, allowing broad interpretation, which supports Monáe’s journey of self-expression prior to her non-binary announcement. The pre-chorus features a chromatic, descending slide where Monáe subtly bends notes, creating a quarter-tone effect common in non-Western musical systems. Songwriter Julia Michaels is credited as a co-writer and backing vocalist on the track.
Songwriter Royalty Discrepancy
Copied to clipboard!
(00:53:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Janelle Monáe is not listed among the four credited songwriters (Matt Mann, Robin, Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter) who split publishing rights equally for “Make Me Feel.”
  • Summary: The four credited songwriters for the track split mechanical and publishing royalties four ways, excluding Monáe despite her presence in liner notes. Monáe will still earn performance royalties from live shows and income from the master recording advance. This situation seems strange given the personal nature of the song to the artist.
Song’s Celebratory Feeling
Copied to clipboard!
(00:54:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Janelle Monáe describes “Make Me Feel” as a celebratory song intended to make listeners feel free and celebrated.
  • Summary: The song evokes feelings of freedom and celebration for the hosts, aligning with Monáe’s stated intent. One host highlights the unique musicality, specifically the pre-chorus moment featuring five notes fitting into four with microtones. This musical ambiguity contributes to the song feeling playful and unusual.
Monáe’s Evolving Artistry
Copied to clipboard!
(00:55:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Janelle Monáe is viewed as an authentic, evolving artist, similar to Prince and David Bowie, who draws from various influences to express her true voice.
  • Summary: Monáe successfully occupies a space between mainstream pop and the indie underground, growing authentically in real time before the audience. Her career, spanning 15 years, shows constant reinvention and has paved the way for other unapologetically authentic artists. Her future creative direction remains unpredictable but highly anticipated.
Introducing One Genre Segment
Copied to clipboard!
(01:03:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The podcast launches the “One Genre” segment, dedicated to breaking down a subgenre and recommending an essential record.
  • Summary: The inaugural “One Genre” topic focuses on Deep House, defined as soulful, jazz, and funk-influenced house music originating from Chicago roots. This style connects foundational artists like Frankie Knuckles to contemporary producers like Maya Jane Coles.
Deep House Essential Pick
Copied to clipboard!
(01:03:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Fingers Incorporated’s album Another Side by Larry Heard (Mr. Fingers) is presented as an essential Deep House record, featuring classics like “Can You Feel It.”
  • Summary: Deep House is characterized by soulful vocals and the use of complex, spicy chords (ninths, elevenths, thirteenths) derived from jazz, lending the music a rich depth. This genre influenced early EDM pioneers like Daft Punk, though their later work branched into electronic R&B. The sound established by Mr. Fingers is a crucial link to the roots of house music.
Second Deep House Selection
Copied to clipboard!
(01:01:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Jazzanova’s remix of MJ Cole’s “Sincere” (Sincerely Yours remix) is highlighted for its emotional breakdown featuring an organ sound.
  • Summary: Jazzanova, a German outfit, produced influential jazz and soul-influenced deep house tracks between 1997 and 2000. The selected remix utilizes silence effectively during its breakdown before bringing all elements back in, creating a powerful emotional connection. This warmth and depth in the subgenre stem from the combination of rich chords and vocals.
Podcast Outro and Credits
Copied to clipboard!
(01:03:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners are encouraged to check the One Song Spotify playlist and follow the hosts on social media for exclusive content.
  • Summary: The hosts provide their Instagram and TikTok handles for direct engagement with the One Song Nation community. Full episodes are available on YouTube and Spotify, and listeners are asked to subscribe and leave reviews to support the show. The segment concludes with the introduction of the production team.