Writing for '' Pitchfork '' , Marcus J. Moore says of Monáe and the song , " The polymath unpacks a rubbery funk tune that recalls the likes of Prince and Sheila E . Her 1980s influences are clear , down to each massive synth line and the feeling of raw sensual energy woven throughout the song . " Tatiana Pile of '' Spin '' wrote , " The single is a high-energy funk song with some reverent similarities to Prince 's ' Kiss ' ... With this bouncy single , Monáe taps into her unique soul-pop sound to deliver a song reminiscent of past tracks such as ' Q.U.E.E.N. ' and ' Dance Apocalyptic ' . " The single 's official music video was uploaded to YouTube on February 22 , 2018 , the day of the single 's release . Directed by frequent music video collaborator Alan Ferguson , the music video features Monáe and actress Tessa Thompson in a nightclub . Referred to by Monáe as an " emotion picture " , the video heavily resembles the nightclub and plot shown in the '' Black Mirror '' episode , " San Junipero " . Throughout the video , Monáe is seen flirting with both Thompson and a man ; at one point she runs between the two as if she can not decide which one she wants . Ultimately , she dances with both . Also throughout the video , the colors of the bisexual pride flag are displayed in the overhead lighting , so-called " bisexual lighting " . The music video , as well as the song , was praised as a " bisexual anthem . " Writing for '' Billboard '' , Natalie Maher states the video , " takes a more Prince-inspired approach , both musically and aesthetically , with the actress hitting an '80s - esque club with actress Tessa Thompson , and serving some of the best moves and looks we 've seen from her . The video also features what seems to be an allusion to Robert Palmer 's iconic '80s videos , with Monae playing a similarly white guitar , backed by her own group of funky female dancers . " The video received two nominations at the 35th MTV Video Music Awards in the categories " Best Art Direction " and " Best Editing "
35th MTV Video Music Awards
2018 MTV Video Music Awards
Make Me Feel (Janelle Monáe song)