Janelle Monae didn’t let a wardrobe malfunction hold her back at the 2020 Oscars

After a shaky start to her 2020 Oscars opening number, Janelle Monae quickly turned a wardrobe malfunction around to achieve one of the most memorable moments of black excellence at an Oscars award ceremony.

The 2020 Oscars began with Janella Monae dressed as Mister Rodgers, paying tribute to the late Fred Rodgers. Before the singer could begin her performance of ‘Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood’, however, a fumble with her jacket caused the front of her blouse to open. While the moment was awkward, Monae proved her professional ability and continued with the performance completely unfazed. She even encouraged the audience to “be loud, be lit, be seen, be heard, because tonight we come alive!”

In what is being called a performance of black queer excellence, Monae was soon joined on stage by the legendary Billy Porter, dressed as gay icon Elton John.

While the Oscars has come under fire for underrepresentation, sparking the hashtag OscarsSoWhite Monae used her moment to draw light on ethic minorities, announcing to the audience “I’m so proud to stand here as a Black queer artist, telling stories. Happy Black History Month.”

Any memory of her wardrobe slip-up was quickly replaced with awe at her killer performance that people will no doubt be discussing for years to come.