Just one year ago, Bad Boy Records signee Janelle Monáe was getting her due at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.

Beyond being lauded as the stand-out newcomer at that music festival and many others, she has also been featured in the pages of Vogue magazine for her out-of-the-box sense of style.

After releasing two EPs -- 2008's 'Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition)' and 'Metropolis: Suite I of IV,' which followed the plight of her alter-ego, Cindi Mayweather -- the 24 year-old singer has since been busy crafting her debut album 'The ArchAndroid.'

The buzz has been centering around her new single 'Tight Rope,' which features Big Boi.

Monáe, who was at one time signed to the OutKast rapper's Purple Ribbon imprint, counts the MC as one of her industry mentors. He turns up in her video, which features a lot of throwback dance moves as Monáe navigates a mental ward.

The Grammy Award nominee has been selling out shows from Atlanta to Chicago and just wrapped a promotional tour, which ended its run with a sold-out Highline Ballroom appearance and a two-day run at New York hotspot Joe's Pub. Even Prince, who has praised the 'Many Moons' singer by saying, "She is so smart," stopped by to check out her show in his hometown of Minneapolis.

This summer, the Kansas City native, who has toured with No Doubt and Raphael Saadiq,joins Erykah Badu,Sarah MacLachlan, Norah Jones, Mary J. Blige and Jill Scott for the 2010 Lilith Fair.

Conceptually, Monáe and her Wondaland Arts Society outfit have shaped 'The ArchAndroid' to be what they are calling an 'Emotion Picture' experience, where at live concert events, video footage accompanies the songs that Monáe performs.

Included in the 'Emotion Picture' footage are Big Boi, renowned poet Saul Williams, psychedelic dance-punk troupe Of Montreal, punk prophets Deep Cotton, and the Wondaland Arch Orchestra.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs, who signed Monáe to Bad Boy, serves as an executive producer of her new project, and Big Boi serves as co-executive producer.

Janelle Monáe's 'The ArchAndroid,' which hits stores on May 18, is currently available pre-sale on her website, www.JanelleMonae.com.