Janelle Monae has mercury poisoning because of fish diet

Janelle Monae - who follows a vegetarian and fish diet - would love to have a family of her own one day, but she needs to get "healthy" again first as she's currently suffering with metal contamination linked to eating too much fish.

Speaking to The Cut, the 34-year-old singer said: "I started feeling my mortality."

Mercury poisoning can cause muscle weakness, poor coordination, numbness in the hands and feet, skin rashes, anxiety, memory problem and trouble speaking.

And, although she's very open about the fact she'd like to have a baby, Janelle prefers to keep the identity of the people she is dating close to her chest.

She revealed last year she is pansexual - meaning she is attracted to a person regardless of their sex or gender - and thought it was important to open up to her parents before disclosing her preferences publicly.

She said at the time: "I talked to my mom and dad first, and my mom, in particular, had a lot of questions.

"I said, 'Mama, the only way that I can create art is to truthfully tell my story. It has to come from an honest place, and this is who I honestly am. I don't know any other way. I have to talk about my sexuality. I have to talk about my blackness. I have to talk about my womanness. I have to talk about these things. This is who I am as a person.'"

The brunette beauty thinks it is important for people to embrace their "uniqueness" but she has to work hard to feel empowered and "fearless".

She explained: "Embracing your uniqueness is an active choice. I don't wake up looking flawless every morning. I don't wake up feeling empowered. I don't wake up feeling fearless. I have to actively choose to feel that way.

"I'm like Issa Rae in (TV series) Insecure, like, 'Bitch, keep it together!'"