“Americans” is a song by Janelle Monáe from her album Dirty Computer. Monáe is a well known singer, songwriter, and actress, best known for her multiple award winning roles in movies, and songs. Her song, “Americans” serves as a powerful commentary on the multiple sided nature of American identity and the ongoing struggle for social justice. Monáe, a groundbreaking artist known for her activism and genre-defying music, uses this song to challenge traditional notions of what it means to be American. While also addressing many themes such as inequality, discrimination, and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. “Americans” by Janelle Monáe depicts the struggle for equality and justice in America, utilizing powerful imagery, symbols, and social …show more content…
In Monáe’s song “Americans,” there are multiple key lyrics that she repeats throughout her song that hold a deeper meaning, or represent a theme that goes along with the American identity. An example of this is “Love me for who I am,” this line captures the central theme of acceptance, the fight between discrimination based on skin, gender, and sexual orientation. As Monáe is an African American, the textual context of this song does not confine itself to just Monáe’s perspective, it can go to all listeners and how they should be loved for who they are. Also, symbolically, this song uses imagery like the American flag as a symbol of both unity and division. While the American flag is well known for representing the nation's freedom and democracy, in the context of the song, it also highlights the imbalance between the ideal and the reality of American life to demeaned communities. Like when Monáe sings “Sign your name on the dotted line,” it refers to the social contract and the most unmet promises of justice and