The Business of Being Janelle Monáe (at Halloween)
Janelle Monáe briefly pauses a Zoom interview with The Hollywood Reporter to get up out of a chair and allow the camera to capture a better view of an essential piece of her ensemble — a black T-shirt featuring her face and text that reads “Monáe Manor: From the Mad Mind of Janelle Monáe.”
The merch promotes a new activation at Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, a spooky maze on the grounds of Griffith Park where the 10-time Grammy Award-nominee has been spotted in recent weeks making killer cameos alongside the Hayride’s resident “scare actors,” sometimes with a chainsaw in hand. It’s just one piece of the Halloween pie that Monáe has added to her schedule in 2024 as she continues her ascent as the newest “HalloQueen” in town. And it’s all a dream come true for the native Kansan.
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“I’ve dreamt of having my own haunted house experience for many, many, many nightmares,” said The Age of Pleasure singer, whose visage is featured on the walls and whose screams can be heard throughout. “The best reviews I’ve gotten are from people saying they ran out screaming.”
It’s credit to Monáe who was intimately involved in the details, said Haunted Hayride creator Melissa Carbone. “Janelle is an artist in every sense of the word and she wants input on everything,” says the entrepreneur who founded L.A. Haunted Hayride in 2009, before being acquired by Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, which now runs the activation along with many others across the United States. “We turned it around really fast but it was very serendipitous, all of it.” And there’s more to come: Carbone teased plans for “the biggest Halloween project in the world” to debut next year, with Monáe likely on board for those screams as well.
Meanwhile, this month horror fans can find her as the host of AMC’s FearFest, the network’s beloved block of horror-centric programming by presenting a countdown of top titles and dishing on her childhood faves. Said Kim Granito, chief marketing officer for AMC Networks: “Janelle Monáe is a force of nature and Halloween icon whose enthusiasm for horror knows no bounds. From epic costumes and genre film performances to her very own haunted mansion — she’s the perfect host to lead fans through this massive programming event. We’re honored to call her AMC’s FearFest HalloQueen.”
Lastly, in addition to rolling out her own original look this year and hosting her beloved Wondaween celebration, Monáe, who previously starred in the horror-thriller Antebellum, has teamed with Google Shopping to highlight a unique Halloween experience that finds Monáe revealing one custom costume with the platform via Instagram. Monáe will also be doling out two shopping sprees that will allow fans to create their own creative Halloween looks. “Google Lens lets people shop what they see, and with Janelle’s cultural influence during the Halloween season, it made perfect sense to team up to show shoppers how they can easily recreate their favorite Halloween beauty and fashion looks from Janelle, using AI,” explained Stephanie Horton, senior director of global consumer marketing & commerce.
While it’s all kept her pretty busy, Monáe says it’s just a taste of what the future holds for Halloweens to come. “I’m planting the seeds,” says the 38-year-old star, who recently cosplayed as Leatherface for a Cinespia screening of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. “I’m all about an experience.”
It’s an experience that her friends are more than happy to share, despite the scares. “She completely dedicates herself to fantasy and takes other people on that ride with her by bringing them into a world. She goes out of her way to create an entire world where people can just disconnect and be present,” says Insecure star Kendrick Sampson. “A needed escape, especially now or anytime.”
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