Monáe then started singing his theme, It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood – also the theme to the Oscar-nominated biopic.
Janelle Monáe opened the Oscars in hectic and somewhat discombobulating style with a performance of her 2009 song Come Alive – reworked with Oscar-appropriate lyrics.
Walking down the stairs at the front of the stage, Monáe serenaded its star, Tom Hanks, who was sat in the front row.
As ticker tape rained down on to the audience and the camera panned back to the dancers, some military uniforms caused sudden alarm.