VIDEO: Janelle Monae - Cold War

I really can't say much about Ms. Monae that has not already been said, so let's talk about the video.

The video for Cold War is simple, stark, and downright beautiful. It reminds me a lot of D'Angelo's revealing "How Does It Feel" video and it shows that sometimes it only takes as little as positing a artist in front of a camera to make an impact.

Filmed back to back with the more upbeat "Tightrope" video, Janelle tells us that her tears at the end are real.

"Both of them are very touching. I remember crying during 'Cold War' [on the] first take. I didn't know how that happened but it just did. I was very moved by that. It was really a special moment; then everybody else started to cry."

And for those in the DC area, Janelle will be performing this weekend at the Summer Spirit Festival, along with Eyrkah Badu, BOB, Chuck Brown, and The Roots.