Monáe was born in Kansas City, Kansas. She moved to New York to study theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy because she wanted to be a Broadway actress. She changed her mind, and in 2001 she moved to Atlanta. She met Big Boi from Outkast there. They made the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe released her first EP "The Audition" in 2003. Big Boi told his friend Diddy about Monáe. In 2006 she was signed to his record label Bad Boy.