You know, you see names pop up all the time, especially on the internet. Janelle Monáe and Tessa Thompson, I kept hearing about them, seeing pictures, people talking. And not just about their work, but them, like, together. It got me curious, to be honest. I figured, instead of just scrolling past, I’d actually spend some time and, you know, look into it myself. Like a little project, my own deep dive.
So, I started with Janelle. Her music, obviously. I went back to albums like The ArchAndroid and then, of course, Dirty Computer. And man, it’s not just songs. It’s like a whole experience. The visuals, the stories, everything. It’s pretty intense, in a good way. She’s not just making tunes; she’s building worlds. I spent a good few evenings just immersed in that.
Then I switched gears to Tessa. I’d seen her in the big Marvel movies, you know, Valkyrie. She’s awesome there. Super cool. But I wanted to see more. So I dug up stuff like Sorry to Bother You – what a wild movie – and Creed. And it really hit me, she’s got this incredible range. She can do the blockbuster action hero, but also these really complex, grounded characters. It’s impressive to see an actor just nail so many different things.
And then, naturally, I got to the parts where they worked together. The Dirty Computer film, those music videos like ‘Pynk’ and ‘Make Me Feel’. Okay, look, the chemistry is just… there. You can’t really miss it. Whether it’s acting or something else, it’s powerful on screen. It made me think, not so much about gossip, but just about how some people just click, you know? Their energy together is something else.
I even watched a few interviews, them separately and sometimes together, if I could find them. Just to see how they carry themselves, how they talk about their work and their views. It’s always interesting to see the person behind the performance, even if it’s still a public version of them.
After all this, what I really took away wasn’t some big secret or anything. It was more a feeling. These are two incredibly talented people, seriously. And they both seem to be carving out their own paths, not really conforming to what you’d expect. Janelle with her whole aesthetic and boundary-pushing themes, and Tessa with her choice of roles and just general cool, strong presence. It’s not about shipping them or whatever the internet says. For me, it became more about appreciating their art and their, I guess, audacity? To be so themselves in a world that often wants everyone to be the same.
It was a good way to spend some time, actually. Instead of just consuming random stuff, I felt like I actually engaged with what these artists are putting out there. And it left me feeling pretty inspired, to be honest. Just to see people doing their thing, and doing it so well. Makes you think, maybe I can be a bit bolder in my own stuff too. That’s my takeaway from my little Janelle and Tessa exploration.
