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Janelle Monáe Is Unrecognizable in Elaborate ‘E.T.’ Halloween Costume

"You finally came home," the singer wrote in her caption.

Janelle Monáe performs at Sziget Festival 2024 at Óbuda Island on August 11, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary.

Janelle Monáe performs at Sziget Festival 2024 at Óbuda Island on August 11, 2024 in Budapest, Hungary.

Joseph Okpako/WireImage

When Janelle Monáe sang that she was “an alien from outer space” on 2008’s “Violet Stars Happy Hunting,” she meant it — she so committed to the bit, in fact, that her lyric is paying off 16 years later.

On Wednesday (Oct. 30), Monáe showed off her photo-realistic costume for Halloween 2024, where she dressed up as the lovable alien E.T. from the 1982 film of the same name. Dressed in a full-body recreation of the original puppet from the film, Monáe modeled a number of iconic looks from the movie, including the famous dress-up scene between the alien and Drew Barrymore’s character. In one final photo, Monáe even posed as protagonist Elliott in order to show the famous flying bike moment from the film.


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“You finally came home. Welcome back E.T. Thank you Google Maps,” Monáe wrote in the caption. “Starring yours truly as both E.T. & Janellllliott.”

For anyone who wanted to see the costume in action, Monáe is set to appear as a guest on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Thursday (Oct. 31), and the host posted a clip of her entrance. Dressed in her full E.T. getup with a blanket wrapped around her, Monáe gave a spot on impersonation of the alien’s voice as she said Hudson’s name over and over again. “I never would have guessed I got to meet E.T.,” a shocked Hudson declares in the clip.

Monáe recently cemented her title as the Queen of Halloween when she appeared on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter in full monster drag. “What I want people to see and to remember about me is that I wasn’t afraid to look silly,” she said in her interview. “I wasn’t afraid to investigate my fears and turn it into a costume. I’m not afraid to transform. I’m a transformative motherf—er.”

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Check out Monáe’s full Halloween costume here.

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy
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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy

Awards

Here’s Why ‘Shake It to the Max’ Was Deemed Ineligible at the 2026 Grammys — And Why Its Label Calls the Decision ‘Devoid of Any Common Sense’

Representatives from the Recording Academy and gamma. CEO Larry Jackson comment on one of this year's most shocking Grammy snubs.

Few phrases define the year in music and culture like Moliy’s scintillating directive to “shake it to the max.” The Ghanaian singer’s sultry voice reverberated across the globe, blending her own Afropop inclinations with Jamaican dancehall-informed production, courtesy of Miami-based duo Silent Addy and Disco Neil. Originally released in December 2024, Moliy’s breakthrough global crossover hit ascended to world domination, peaking at No. 6 on the Global 200, thanks to a remix featuring dancehall superstars Shenseea and Skillibeng. Simply put, “Max” soundtracked a seismic moment in African and Caribbean music in 2025.

Given its blockbuster success, “Shake It to the Max” was widely expected to be a frontrunner in several categories at the 2026 Grammys. In fact, had the song earned a nomination for either best African music performance or best global music performance, many forecasters anticipated a victory. So, when “Shake It to the Max” failed to appear on the final list of 2026 Grammy nominees in any category earlier this month (Nov. 7), listeners across the world were left scratching their heads — none more than gamma. CEO Larry Jackson.

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