Janelle Monáe’s “Pynk” (2018) exemplifies how contemporary music videos leverage digital aesthetics and feminist discourse to challenge conventional representations of race, gender, and sexuality. As Benson-Allott highlights, glitch aesthetics can “interrupt the male gaze and traditional objectification” by subverting the audience’s expectations through visual disruptions . While Monáe does not explicitly employ glitches, her manipulation of costume, choreography, and mise-en-scène mirrors this concept by destabilizing heteronormative assumptions and celebrating queer identities.

In “Pynk”, Monáe uses her costuming to reframe the female body as a site of empowerment rather than objectification. The most iconic image from the video—Monáe and dancers in vulva-shaped pants—deliberately centres female anatomy, transforming it into a symbol of strength and solidarity. This contrasts with traditional music video tropes, where the female form is often fetishized. Through playful yet provocative visuals, the video invites critical reflection on gendered representations, aligning with Benson-Allott’s assertion that “errors” or aesthetic disruptions create “intervals of frustration—and potential critical reflection” in viewers .

The video’s aesthetic also exemplifies Vernallis’s “mixing board aesthetic,” where sound and visuals engage in a synesthetic dialogue. The soft, pastel visuals complement the song’s dreamy tones, crafting an audiovisual experience that contrasts sharply with the stark narratives of patriarchal control often seen in mainstream media. Monáe’s choice to focus on an all-Black cast foregrounds the intersectionality of her feminist statement, addressing the dual oppressions of race and gender.

Ultimately, “Pynk” challenges the audience’s visual pleasure by blending utopian imagery with subversive feminist commentary. It affirms Monáe’s role as a music video auteur, using the medium to celebrate diversity and invite discourse, echoing the progressive potential of music videos in the digital era.

Janelle Monáe’s “Pynk”: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaYvlVR_BEc)

Simrah