Singer Janelle Monae was a young playwright moving home to Kansas from New York City when she made a fateful decision.

"I decided that I had more to say as an artist," she tells CNN at the Renaissance Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. Monae performed there as part of their RLife Live series, which brings artists to the Renaissance.

As her fans know, Monae's desire to share has resulted in a music career that has landed her on lots of best new artist lists.

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