Janelle Monae Makes Powerful Speech on the #TimesUp Movement at 2018 Grammys

"We come in peace, but we mean business," she says.

January 29, 2018

Janelle Monae opened a moving "Times Up" segment at Sunday night's Grammy Awards with a powerful speech on the importance of equality and unification in the music industry.

"Tonight, I am proud to stand in solidarity, as not just an artist, but a young woman with my fellow sisters in this room who make up the music industry." Monae said. "We are also daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, and human beings."

"We come in peace, but we mean business," Monae continued, to a round of applause. "And to those who would dare try to silence us, we offer you two words: Time's up. We say time's up for pay and equality. Time's up for discrimination. Time's up for harassment of any kind. And time's up for the abuse of power."

Acknowledging that the music industry has been plagued by the same sexual assault problems as Hollywood, Monae added, "It's not just going on in Hollywood. It's not just going on in Washington. It's right here in our industry as well. And just as we have the power to shape culture, we also have the power to undue the culture that does not do us well. So let's work together, women and men, as a united music industry—committed to creating more safe work environments, equal pay, and access for all women."

After the speech, Monae introduced a performance from Kesha that featured Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Julia Michaels, Andre Day, Bebe Rexha, and more.

Lady Gaga, Sam Smith, the Chainsmokers, Miley Cyrus, and a handful of other artists wore white roses on the red carpet in solidarity with the Time's Up movement.

You can watch Monae's powerful speech above.