To cater to listeners who favor singles to albums, Monáe had once intended for The ArchAndroid's two parts, the second and third suites of the Metropolis series, to be released separately. But now, as evidenced by the album's 18 tracks, Monáe is eager to release her story as an “emotion picture experience” – one that, according to Wonder, made Diddy cry the first time he heard it.

What's the story behind "Tightrope?"

"Tightrope" deals with balance. Early on in my career, and even now, it's a daily struggle to stay balanced and not get too high or too low. It was something that I hadn't really heard in a song. If I was telling somebody how to make it through life, I would definitely tell them that balance is important. You can't get too high on praises and you can't get too low on any one situation. I wanted that song to be an empowerment song. I wanted people to find their inner confidence and to feel more self-empowered in understanding that they have to stay more balanced in life. That was my goal. James Brown influenced it, of course. I wanted it to be that 2010 beyond anthem—that classic song that you can go to in any moment when you feel like things are out of control in life. That'll be your little medicine. Big Boi brought a different perspective in too. He's been in the music industry for awhile. There are so many lows and highs in this business. For him to be a part of this song only felt right. He's a friend of mine, and I can talk to him about anything. I thought he was definitely a person who could have a believable and inspirational perspective for this song.