Quick Facts on Janelle Monáe - The 'Halloqueen of Wondaween': Inside Her Epic Annual Halloween Party

Janelle Monáe is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, actress, and visionary known for her bold Afrofuturistic style and boundary-pushing artistry.

The singer is also been dubbed the 'HalloQueen of Wondaween', an annual Halloween celebration by her creative collective, Wondaland Arts Society, which she founded to celebrate music, fashion, storytelling, and art. Monáe says the group is 'building community around the most creative time of year.'

Here's a look inside the star's spooktacular celebration.

She's the 'HalloQueen of Wondaween'

Monáe was dubbed as the 'HalloQueen' for a reason. It's because of her unmatched creativity and love of Halloween.

She was officially crowned by AMC Networks, where she hosts their annual FearFest horror programming — curating films and celebrating the art of fear.

In her latest interview with PAPER, 'When people think of Halloween,' she says with a grin, 'I want them to think of Janelle Monáe. Period.'

For Monáe, Halloween isn't just one time spooky event. The singer viewed it as 'symbolic', a time for transformation, expression, and freedom, calling it 'a ritual release'.

The HolloQueen continued to describe the season as one where 'People give themselves permission to become anything, to express themselves more freely, and that's what I want to celebrate: giving people permission to play, to be creative beyond their everyday selves,' she said.

Those same values of self-expression and creativity are the foundation of her Wondaland philosophy. Through 'Wondaween,' Monáe has built a safe, imaginative space for fans and artists — affectionately called Wondaweenies — to celebrate individuality, queerness, and creativity.

Inside the 'Wondaween' Party

Wondaween is an Afrofuturistic Halloween festival that blends music, performance, fashion, and immersive art across multiple mediums — from film and music to gaming and visual design.

Monáe describes it as 'a month-long celebration that creates community for people who love the strange, the spectacular, and the peculiar.'

She adds, 'When I began in the industry, I told my team I didn't need a number-one hit or millions of fans. I just needed 500 people who understood what I was doing — who loved sci-fi, Afrofuturism, who believed in Cindy Mayweather as a symbol of hope and freedom for marginalized people.'

Each year, Wondaween transforms Los Angeles into a creative universe — featuring haunted installations, live performances, screenings, and themed events like 'Vampire Beach', 'The Archive Bites Back', and 'Monáe Manor'.

The highlight this year is 'Vampire Beach', Wondaland's inaugural Halloween music festival on 30 October, held at a secret location in partnership with Bacardi, Vacation, and Wingstop. Only 1,000 lucky guests or the 'Wondaweenies' will get to join a night of music, art, and spellbinding fun.

There are also other standout events hosted by the Wondaland Arts Society this year, such as Monáe Manor, an eerie installation at the LA Haunted Hayride running through 2 November.

The festivities also featured Cinespia, held at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery last 11 October, as well as The Archive Bites Back screening of Wes Craven's The People Under the Stairs and The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl.

Monáe's elaborate, horror-inspired costumes — often funded by what she affectionately calls her 'fairy Halloween mother' have also become an annual highlight, cementing her as pop culture's true 'HalloQueen'.