Janelle Monáe Created A ‘Pleasure Guide’ Ahead Of Their ‘The Age Of Pleasure’ Album Release

Janelle Monáe has become synonymous with pleasure since dropping their “Lipstick Lover” video, starring multiple butts, and plunging head-first into her The Age Of Pleasure album rollout, which will conclude with its highly anticipated release at midnight (June 9).

But the multi-talented artist is here to help those for whom pleasure doesn’t come as naturally.

Monáe held a private listening party for The Age Of Pleasure in New York City on Wednesday night, June 7, and one of the many visuals to emerge was a “Pleasure Guide.”

The handout includes several helpful tips:

“Safety first. Fun next 🙂
Focus on the present
Leave the past behind
Leave the future in the future
Discover something new about yourself
Focus on the feeling
Focus on the beauty around you
(And if you see no beauty make some!)
Dance like somebody’s watching (cause they are!)
Smile at a stranger
Dance harder than your neighbor
Float baby float
Celebrate you! You made it here.
Come dry leave wet
Unleash the ‘free azz mothaf*cka’ in you!
Hurry Up and Live!”

Monáe’s “Pleasure Guide” is extremely tame compared to what else they’ve released ahead of the album, including uncensored cover art and breast-centric CD and vinyl editions.

Uproxx’s Aaron Williams contextualized the necessity of Monáe’s NSFW Age Of Pleasure era coinciding with a time in this country when Black and queer people are under attack, writing, “She’s still presenting herself as the martyr and messiah, fighting back by being louder, bolder, and brighter than the hatred and those who’d rather see her silent and diminished. That’s not new either. It’s the story of America, of being Black, of being queer, of being non-binary, and always fighting to be seen, to be heard, and to not just survive in a hostile world but thrive.”

The 14-track project will feature Amaarae, CKay, Doechii, Egypt 80, Grace Jones, Nia Long, Seun Kuti, and Sister Nancy. Monáe will support the album with The Age Of Pleasure Tour across North America, beginning on August 30 in Seattle, Washington. See all of their dates here.

Check out more scenes from The Age Of Pleasure playback below.

The Age Of Pleasure is out 6/9 via Wondaland Arts Society/Atlantic Records. Find more information here.

Janelle Monáe is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.