Revolution of Love

Janelle Monàe in her 2018 album Dirty Computer explores Afrofuturistic themes of what it means to be human in a technologically advanced future. Through music videos we are led through a story that depicts relationships that are not often depicted in the mainstream, pays a homage to love of all kinds, and explores the importance of fighting for your individuality and uniqueness. 

Humans are compared to computers right away. In this white sterile room she is slowly having her colorful and vibrant memories and dreams erased. To compare humans to computers is a way to say that humans were built for a purpose, and that humans can be abused by those in power. Being called a dirty computer means that she is a computer that has maintained individuality. Monàe is essentially looking at how individuality, variations, uniqueness can be seen as an error by those in power who are seeking mass assimilation and a mass standard that is easy to control. In this context, love is a virus, that she is intentionally wants to infect this world with. 

The "computers" are being cleansed of their memories and emotions, and therefore cleansed of their humanity. The memories are a powerful force that makes humans who they are and preserves their uniqueness. At one point the men in charge of erasing her memories get confused about whether they are looking at memories or dreams, and they assume that dreams are harmless while memories need to be eradicated. To me this is a mistake on their part, I think that memories inform dreams and dreams inform memories. They are equally powerful and symbiotic forces and perhaps this may be why she is able to escape in the end and save her lovers as well. 

Overall, Dirty Computer explores a multitude of themes including black queerness, gender fluidity, resistance to power, feminism, sexuality, black autonomy and empowerment, and more. This is a new and exciting platform and piece of art that combines music, video, film, fashion, and more in order to create a revolution of love, individuality, and humanity.