Janelle Monáe demolished the Late Show With David Letterman last night (September 9), delivering a performance so masterful and spellbinding that Letterman himself dubbed the SPIN profile subject “the hardest working woman in show business.” The future-soul siren conquered the stage at the historic Ed Sullivan Theater to boogie through “Dance Apocalyptic,” a frisky, handclapped highlight from her recently released sophomore album, The Electric Lady. Fronting a live band stylishly outfitted in white, Monáe tirelessly shimmied, serenaded Paul Shaffer, danced on top of Letterman’s desk, tussled her perfectly coiffed ‘do, and closed by walking off camera like a bawse. Witness the magic above. And for an in-dept look at the wonder that is Janelle Monáe, be sure to read SPIN’s feature Does Janelle Monáe Dream of Electric Sheep?
