So and so, Tinashe just dropped her latest music video for her new single, Flame. The visual and concept are obviously different from her last efforts, alike the music videos for Company and Superlove. Also, not to forget how she's changed her hairstyle, reminding us of her early years creating rad mixtapes and her debut album, Aquarius.
While many of you may be disappointed with her creative decision towards releasing this upbeat pop song, instead of her signature alternative moody R&B songs, these are what we can learn from Tinashe: that she's an artist and she can create whatever melodies and beats she likes. And also, Flame proves her to be a versatile artist in terms of switching genres just because she's able to. Maybe not so memorable as Company or the bouncy beats of Superlove, but this is a wild decision for Tinashe.
Anyway, besides of the song itself, the music video is lit. It doesn't incorporate intricate dance moves or eye-shocking costume changes; it is just Tinashe, her lover, her feeling of being ignored, and the burning-down the house ceremony to celebrate her ditching her lover. It is simple, understandable, relatable, and I know how much girls cheering up because Tinashe just showed how in pain you are and how much boys cheering up because Tinashe is slaying...down the house. All in all, the video is enjoyable, may not fulfill your desire of Tinashe doing the splits, but there's all your imagination in it. And here's to Joyride!
But no one’s gonna find Miss Jackson, Panic! At The Disco famously sang in their 2013 “Miss Jackson” hit. They were right on the money. While the Emirates Woman
team were on set to style and direct our cover shoot – coaxing out
Janet’s more playful side in the process – far most part she was sweetly
coy and extremely private, retreating to a sanctuary far from the
madding crowd.
And so the scene was similarly set for a very intimate event for Janet Jackson in a suit at Dubai’s Armani hotel in order for her to showcase her brand sparkling new Unbreakable Diamonds collection along with business partner Paul Raps of Paul Raps New York. The VIP guests craned to catch a glimpse of one of the world’s most recognizable and celebrated woman – so famous that minders, managers and a multitude of media are de rigueur for this daintly star.
According to her business partner, Janet’s nature shines in harmony with the collection: “Janet is truly a special, gracious person,’ says Paul. ‘After having the pleasure of meeting with Janet, it was then that I realized her prestige, elegance, class and strive for perfection
were the most ideal personifications to represent the most exclusive,
beautifully exquisite line of extraordinarily designed diamond jewelry”.
Unbreakable – also the name of Janet’s latest album
and her tour that has now been put on hold – reflects all aspects of the
artist. According to Jimmy Jam, of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, American R&B songwriter and production team associate of Janet Jackson since the 1980s: “It talks about her unbreakable bond with her fans and her family, with her faith and with her friends.
And I also think it’s an album where you have to life a lot of life in
order to really be able to verbalize and lyricize those thoughts”.
Back in the Armani Hotel and a fresh-faced Janet emerges from behind closed doors with her Qatari billionaire husband, Wissam Al Mana,
who gallantly escorts her through the room; the star, dressed in a
abaya with her hair tumbling down her back like a modern-day Rapunzel,
protesting all the while in a sweet, sotto voce about how “shy” she is.
But is possible for an award-winning recording artist and actress,
who started her career as a nipper when she first appeared on stage
with the Jackson 5, to genuinely be this coy? Especially given she grew
up in the spotlight and went on to become one of the biggest-selling pop
artists in history with 35 number one hits and five Grammys. Not to mention her countless performances
in front of thousands of excitable fans and her acting roles on both
small and big screen. Plus her seminal influence on music videos that cemented her status as a pop icon. Then again, Janet as always been an enigma.
“Janet is pretty shy, but only when you
don’t know her well. I think when you know her well, she’s not shy at
all,” says Jimmy of the youngest member of the Jackson family. One of
her oldest friends, puts a slightly different spin on it: “Anybody who
has been around Janet for any period of time will tell you the same
thing… That she is humble to a fault. She will not take credit for the things she is responsible for. She will always say, ‘we did it’ instead of ‘I did it”, he says.
Of course, it’s a common myth that all
musicians and actors are extroverts. Many of the best performers are
actually very reserved and it’s tenable, that it is music – more
importantly, her music – that switches her on.
“I think music is really the power for
her; it’s why she can perform in front of people”, says Jimmy of the
ingénue turned actress turned music mainstay. “She enjoys the energy and the feedback that the audience gives
– she feels that instant recognition of a song, people singing along
with her. It’s a friendly environment and she feels she’s amongst a
group out there and performs because she feels comfortable on stage.”
And there lies the dichotomy when it
comes to her fans. On one hand she is as loyal to them as they are to
her. But she is also relishing her new-found privacy and her quieter life in the Middle East as the wife of 41-year-old Wissam who manages a Middle Eastern empire
of 55 companies involving fashion, media, engineering and real estate.
(As an interesting aside, economist Sam Wilkin writes in his book,
Wealth Secrets of One Percent that there are only 1.826 billionaires in
the whole world.) Way to go Janet.
With sources revealing that Janet never
previously considered offspring an “essential” part of her ‘fulfillment”
and international only magazine MadameNoire writing that she did not
panic about not having kids of her own due to the abundance of nieces
and nephews in her family circle, same are now suggesting that it is her
new circumstance and her role as a happily married woman which has led
to this happy – albeit unexpected – announcement.
Even her social media messages are often conundrums, littered with cryptic clues
of a far more clandestine life. While Janet never declared she’s
actually pregnant, she did announce in a video on her Twitter account
(just after out shoot) that she and her husband were “planning their
family”, which meant delaying her Unbreakable Tour. “We’re in the second
leg of the tour and there’s been a sudden change”, she said, “I have to
rest up, doctor’s orders, but I have not forgotten about you and will
continue the tour as soon as I can.”
You have to give the woman props: for all the fame, she’s remained famously private – determined that her life not become tabloid fodder.
In spite of this, or perhaps because of this, she continuously manages
to surprise us. She’s come full circle in her career, breaking away from
her father and becoming a superstar in her own right as opposed to
being known as Michael’s baby sister (she was his closest friend and
confidant – he used to call her Dunk). In spite of her public
discretion, it’s clear she still calls the shots.
“Nobody’s putting words in her mouth or telling her what to sing or how to dance or how to look or anything”,
says Jimmy. “She is in total control of that. I think you certainly see
another side of her in front of the camera, but it’s always very honest, it always is the same coming from the same heart and same soul.”
Perhaps her enigma lies in her ability
to assume multifarious identities – both in her public persona and her
behind the scenes working life. As Jimmy says: “She makes timeless
music. It’s music that’s rooted in great melodies and great lyrics and
there are many sides to Janet. There’s the rock side, like ‘Black Cat’, there’s a more sensual side like ‘That’s The Way Love Goes’, there’s the funky side with ‘What Have You Done For Me Lately’ or ‘Nasty’ and songs like that. She makes it so it’s a wholeexperience and so you don’t get tired of what she does because it’s not the same thing all the time. It’s really a wide array of different songs and different tempos and different textures and all of that”.
Significantly, it’stalent that doesn’t come with an expiration date.
She’s paced herself –there’s usually a three to four year gap between
albums – which, Jimmy says, has helped her to live an exciting life
while still being able to take time off. “That makes you a complete
artist and it definitely helps your longevity.”
What’s more, she’s not yet ready to bow out.
“We can definitely expect more albums from Janet”, says Jimmy. “I say
that because of how much fun we had making Unbreakable. Going into it,
we knew what we were setting up to try to do, which was to make a great
album that spoke of creative things so you may see her do a whole lot of
different things and really kind of mixing, the different medias which
is something she does really well. I’m excited about the future for her,
but definitely would hope to be in the studio making some new music very soon.“
So while Janet’simpending motherhood
may be her focus for now, the surprise specialist still has plenty
saved up her sleeves. Until then, she plans to lead her life as anonymously as possibly. Because when you’re as famous as Ms Jackson, who can blame you from not wanting anyone to find you?
Few artists are as singular as Janet Jackson. Over a 34-year
recording career, the pop star has sold over 26 million albums in the
U.S., scored five Grammys, notched 10 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100
(one of the most for a female artist ever), crafted some of the MTV
Generation’s most memorable music videos—all while fashioning herself as
a cultural icon who broke down barriers of race and sexuality in
America and who continues to make killer records today. In honor of Miss
Janet’s 50th birthday, EW’s celebrating her towering catalogue of music
with a look at our Top 50 favorite songs from her solo career.
50. “Can’t B Good” (2008)
Jackson’s work with Ne-Yo on Discipline was one of her better
moves away from her comfort zone with longtime producers Jimmy Jam and
Terry Lewis. After all, Ne-Yo has worn his MJ influence like a sequined
glove. In the lush atmosphere of this song that he cowrote and
coproduced, you can hear echoes of Off the Wall’s “Can’t Help It” and Thriller’s “Human Nature.” –Chuck Arnold
49. “Someone to Call My Lover” (2001)
Jackson had already showed some love for ’70s folk-rock with the Joni
Mitchell-biting “Got ’Til It’s Gone.” And here she lifted the guitar
riff from America’s 1972 hit “Ventura Highway.” Although she has yet to
find someone to call her lover, the mood is irrepressibly upbeat and
optimistic about pre-Tinder match-meeting. Surprisingly, after a great
run, the song would become her last Top 10 hit. –C.A
48. “I Want You” (2004)
Just as his own career was taking off as an artist, Kanye West collaborated with Jackson on three Damita Jo
cuts, the best of which is this old-school slow dance. Also cowritten
by John Legend, the song samples B.T. Express’ version of “Close to
You.” But with its swirling, sumptuous ’60s nostalgia and a vocal that
recalls a young Michael, it’s a love letter to her family’s Motown
roots. –C.A
47. “Say You Do,” (1982)
With bright disco strings, horn tuttis, and a Fender Rhodes keyboard
groove, the third single from her debut album is a carbon copy of her
brother’s “Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough,” released four years
earlier. But with a hook as indelible as that, who cares? –Kevin O’Donnell
46. “All Nite (Don’t Stop)” (2004)
“It’s time to dance,” Jackson declares at the outset of this
electro-funk cardio session, but it’s pretty clear by the bridge—what
with her orgasmic moans, don’t-wake-the-neighbors whispers and
instructions to “get hardcore”—that she’s not really talking
about tearing up the dance floor. Blurring the line between the club and
the bedroom has long been one of Jackson’s specialties; too bad the
fallout over Nipplegate kept this raunchy track from making much of an
impact on the charts. –Nolan Feeney
45. “Enjoy” (2006)
Her brothers had a hit with “Enjoy Yourself” during their post-Motown
incarnation as the Jacksons, and their sister captured the same kind of
feel-good vibes on this buried gem. A midtempo slice of sunshine, it was
a welcome escape from the trying-too-hard sexuality on some of the
post-Nipplegate 20 Y.O. Bursting into “la, la, la, la la’s,” a
children’s singalong and signature Janet giggles, it showed that even in
her 40s, Miss Jackson’s girlish charm was still intact. –C.A.
44. “Son of a Gun (I Bet You Think This Song Is About You)” (2001)
In one of the most creative samples of Janet’s career, she anchored this
track on the serpentine bass line from Carly Simon’s 1972 smash “Your
So Vain.” She also got Simon to re-sing her hit’s key refrain and to rap
(!) on the track. Meanwhile, the lyrics switch the original subject
matter — male narcissism — to focus on a man who shakes down a woman for
money. Was Janet singing about ex-husband Rene Elizondo? Like Simon
before her, Jackson never confirmed or denied—but the world remains
curious. –Jim Farber
43. “Don’t Stand Another Chance” (1984)
On the first single from her second album, Dream Street, Jackson got a little help from her bros: Marlon produced and cowrote the song, while Michael, hot off of Thriller,
slays some background vocals. But the synth-heavy dance track is more
Prince than Michael, foretelling that Janet would break free of her
family and embrace the Minneapolis sound with Jam & Lewis on Control. –C.A.
42. “You Want This” (1993)
While it sampled both Diana Ross & the Supremes’ “Love Child” and
Kool & the Gang’s “Jungle Boogie,” the seventh—and final—single off janet. continued the new jack swing movement of Rhythm Nation.
It’s both a come-on and a challenge (“Girls may have been easy/But you
have to please me”), with Janet making a man work hard for it. –C.A.
41. “Young Love” (1982)
When Jackson released her first single at 16, she was better known as a TV sitcom actress from Good Times and Different Strokes.
Her self-titled debut album did little to suggest that she would fare
much better than sister La Toya in her music career. But this disco
twirl produced and written by René & Angela bubbles over with
girlish innocence laced with a hint of Control defiance: “I may be young, but I’m not foolish.” Well, all right, Miss Janet. –C.A.
40. “Get It Out Me” (2006)
Jackson goes looking for the perfect beat with an Afrika Bambaataa
homage that mixes the old (Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis’ retro toolbox)
and the new (then-boyfriend Jermaine Dupri’s incessant love of hand
claps) with some South Asian tabla thrown in for good measure. Jackson’s
20 Y.O. album wasn’t exactly deserving of the comparison to Control—its
title was meant to celebrate two decades of her 1986 classic—but no
track on the album better captured her glory days than this jittery
planet-rocker. –N.F.
39. “Doesn’t Really Matter” (2000)
Her previous film, Poetic Justice, had boasted a No. 1 hit with “Again,” and Jackson scored another chart-topper with this track from her 2000 movie Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.
With its shimmering melody and stuttering beat, this crazy-catchy tune
was the perfect carefree pop confection after the darker, more
experimental Velvet Rope. –C.A.
38. “Night” (2015)
Most of the tracks on Unbreakable, Janet Jackson’s 2015
comeback album, paired the superstar’s smooth-as-silk vocals with
production ranging from contemporary electro-hop (“Dammn Baby”) to Velvet Rope-esque
R&B beats (“No Sleeep”). Recalling Madonna’s 1994 hit “Bedtime
Story,” however, the standout cut “Night” pulses with a subdued, house-y
vibe, gently calling all of its listeners to the darkest corners of the
dance floor. “I woke up in Heaven in the morning,” Jackson croons. This
one will take you there, too. –Joey Nolfi
37. “Just a Little While” (2004)
Released just after Jackson’s infamous Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction, the first single from Damita Jo was blacklisted by some radio stations. Had it not been for all that drama, this guitar-riffing pop-rocker—a naughty nod to Dirty Mind-era Prince—would surely have continued the hit parade she had been on since Control. With Dallas Austin producing, it’s one of her best songs not involving longtime producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. –C.A.
36. “So Much Betta” (2008)
Janet went deep into electro-shock pop by sampling Daft Punk on this
track. Reworking bits of their “Daftendirekt,” she recast her voice as a
series of robotic bleeps, along the way expanding her rhythm nation
into a new land. –J.F.
35. “This Time” (1993)
While the song wasn’t released as a single, “This Time” highlighted one of Janet’s strongest albums (janet.)
through its clever guest vocal from opera star Kathleen Battle. Her
high-flying voice references the drama queen vocals used by Ennio
Morricone in his classic Spaghetti Western scores. Battle’s haunted
sense of romance offered an ideally vulnerable foil for Janet’s voice of
pure determination. –J.F.
34. “Go Deep” (1998)
The stomping funk of “Go Deep” owes plenty to George Clinton, and maybe
more to Queen’s “Another One Bites The Dust.” But the combination of the
throbbing bass line and Janet’s vocal coo made this song the perfect
soundtrack for its video. Here, an average kid daydreams about Miss
Jackson dominating him in bed for the ultimate fan fantasy. –J.F.
33. “What About” (1997)
Tackling domestic abuse, Jackson goes from vulnerable to vengeful on this deep cut from The Velvet Rope.
And while she had already let her inner headbanger loose on “Black
Cat,” “If” and “This Time,” the way she rocks out here—employing the
soft-loud dynamic fashioned by Nirvana—is something more disturbing and
dangerous. You feel her getting pushed over the edge. –C.A.
32. “Rock With U” (2008)
Jackson dedicated this song to “gay kids,” and while it’s hard to
determine what’s specifically gay about it, the song does have a
striking club beat, and a bass line that pushes the hook from Madonna’s
“Into The Groove” in a fresh direction. Better, the vocal captures
Janet’s most diaphanous coo. –J.F.
31. “Rope Burn” (1997)
Decades before Fifty Shades of Grey, Janet had her own foray into S&M. The most erotic track on the Velvet Rope
finds her begging a lover to tie her up, in between pleading for hot
candle wax to sting her flesh. The music borrows from trip-hop, jazz and
funk to create one long, slow-jam moan. –J.F.
30. “Make Me” (2009)
Before her brother Michael’s death, Janet rarely made such obvious
references to his music. But just a few months after his passing, she
channeled his spirit on the only new song from her Number Ones hits
compilation. Taking both lyrical and musical inspiration from “Don’t
Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” this soul-disco groove makes you move. –C.A.
29. “State of the World” (1989)
The second song on Rhythm Nation, coming after the album’s epic
title track, keeps kicking the social consciousness to a new jack swing
flow. Jackson addresses the problems of poverty, homelessness and
runaway teen moms. “There’s got to be a better way,” she urges with
pistons firing around her. This is Janet getting down for the struggle. –C.A.
28. “Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)” (1986)
There were so many hits on Control that the album’s final track
often gets overlooked. But in its own way, it was just as defining for
Jackson’s career as “Nasty,” “Control” or “What Have You Done for Me
Lately.” Beginning with Janet whispering a bit of French, this
quiet-stormer set the template for every sexy slow jam that she ever
made. There is no waiting a while with this one. –C.A.
27. “Let’s Wait Awhile” (1986)
One of Control’s rarer tender moments, this rippling synth
ballad made a sweet case for abstinence, or at least delayed
gratification—to “save some for later/So our love can be greater”—a
message with extra resonance in the dawning era of AIDS. –L.G.
26. “Black Eagle” (2015)
Like her earlier classics “State of the World” and “Rhythm Nation,”
Janet goes into socio-political mode on this meditative stunner from her
2015 comeback Unbreakable. And heartfelt lyrics like “I’m
singing this love song to show my support / To the beautiful people who
have been ignored” had extra resonance in the wake of shootings of
Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. –K.O.
25. “Alright” (1989)
It would be wrong to dismiss “Alright” simply as a rewrite of “Rhythm
Nation.” Although the two songs share a new jack swing beat, “Alright”
is all about popping and locking your troubles away, instead of taking
on the world’s. This paean to friendship also reminds us that boos may
come and go, but BFFs are forever. Bonus points for the remix featuring
the Overweight Lover himself, Heavy D. –C.A.
24. “Come Back to Me” (1989)
Janet’s airily pretty plea to return to a lover she’s never quite gotten over became Rhythm Nation’s fifth single, and narrowly missed the top spot on the Hot 100—though it did reach No. 1 of the adult-contemporary chart. –L.G.
23. “Feedback” (2007)
Hailed as her comeback single following a few underperforming albums,
“Feedback” saw Jackson go full-on cyborg with the help of Rodney
“Darkchild” Jerkins—and plenty of Auto-Tune. Over his futuristic dance
beat, she spits out memorable, if sometimes head-scratching, metaphors
like a Twitter bot gone haywire: at different points she compares her
body to an electric guitar, a museum, an expensive Mercedes and—no
joke—a pelican before delivering the love-it-or-hate-it mic drop, “My
swag is serious, something heavy like a first-day period.” –N.F.
22. “Any Time, Any Place” (1993)
Of all of Jackson’s baby-making ballads, this one is surely responsible
for the biggest spike in the population. Exalting the joys of getting
busy in public, it bumps and grinds with a slow-burning sensuality,
taking its time (over seven minutes on the janet. album version) to hit all the right spots. –C.A.
21. “Throb” (1993)
With this vogue-ready house track, Jackson showed that Madonna wasn’t
the only one who could tap into the gay underground club scene of the
’90s. Going bigger, harder, thicker and deeper with the sexual
exploration of janet., this fan favorite was the precursor to
“All Nite (Don’t Stop),” “Rock with U” and “Night.” Pumping that “boom
boom boom until noon noon noon” refrain, it sets out to rock the
after-hours party. –C.A.
20. “I Get Lonely” (1997)
Although, like most Jackson singles of the time, it had success on the
pop charts, this one is pure R&B. Taking its cues from ’90s R&B
groups like Jodeci and Blackstreet (who appeared on a remix), this
aching ballad from The Velvet Rope finds Janet digging deep into her soul as she longs for “the one that lives in me.” –C.A.
19. “Unbreakable” (2015)
Over her remarkable career, her fans have remain insanely devoted to their idol and this highlight from her 2015 album Unbreakable
is a beautiful love letter in return—with all the hallmarks of great
Janet: a funky bass groove, hip-swiveling R&B beat, and lush
harmonies. –K.O.
18. “Runaway” (1995)
Jimmy Jam revealed this track was intended to be a duet with her brother
Michael, but he opted for 1995’s harder “Scream” instead. Either way,
never has a pop song made a geography lesson sound so fun—”I’ve had such
fun around the world it’s true / African skies with a Nairobi mood”—and
Jackson breaking the fourth wall towards the end (“Didn’t quite hit the
note there!” she chirps) reveals a rare moment of vulnerability for the
famously private star. –K.O.
17. “Again” (1993)
After appearing over the closing credits of Poetic Justice, which featured her first major film role, the delicate ballad “Again”—a lyrical callback to the lost-love sentiments of Rhythm Nation’s
“Come Back to Me”—garnered both Oscar and Golden Globe nods. Though the
late Tupac Shakur played her romantic muse on the big screen, that part
went to future CSI: Crime Scene Investigation star Gary Dourdan in the song’s video. –L.G.
16. “What Have You Done for Me Lately” (1986) Control’s
lead single was Jackson’s first official leap into adulthood, signaling
the end of her days as a teen ingenue controlled by her famously
hard-driving father and the introduction of a fresh grown-lady
fierceness. And she’d earned it; though still not even 20 years old at
the time of the song’s release, she was already secretly a divorcee
(from James DeBarge; eventually the marriage was annulled) and had left
Papa Jackson behind for a new manager. Bonus points too for this sick
lyrical burn: “You ought to be thankful for the little things/But little
things are all you seem to give.” –L.G.
15. “All for You” (2001)
Co-written and produced by Jam and Lewis, this made history as the first
single to land on pop, rhythmic, and urban radio the first week it
debuted. The light and disco-inspired groove brings you to the dance
floor with a quick, flirty chorus, buoyed by Jackson singing about the
power of the female gaze. “Got a nice package alright,” she coos,
“ ‘Guess I’m gonna have to ride it tonight.” –Jessica Goodman
14. “Black Cat” (1989)
Her experimental dip into a heavier, harder-edged guitar sound was
rewarded with a No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 and a Grammy nod for Best
Female Rock Vocal Performance alongside the likes of Tina Turner,
Melissa Etheridge and Stevie Nicks. (Alannah Myle’s “Black Velvet”
ultimately took the prize). Reportedly, Jackson was especially proud of
the composition because it was the first she’d written entirely on her
own—and no less a metal god than Motorhead’s late Lemmy Kilmister
approved: He called it “a great f—in’ song” and wanted to record his
own version with her, though the record label ultimately wouldn’t allow
it. –L.G.
13. “Together Again” (1997)
While another track from The Velvet Rope, “My Need,” sampled
Diana Ross’ “Love Hangover,” this No. 1 hit showed just how much Jackson
had been influenced by the woman who “presented” her brothers on their
debut album. Mixing a Supremes sheen with a Studio 54 rush, it’s an
unforgettable remembrance of those lost to AIDS, dreaming of a reunion
under the big disco ball in the hereafter. –C.A.
12. “Control,” (1986)
Starting with that ominous spoken intro, Jackson let her family—and the
world—know that “this time I’m gonna do it my way.” Then she proceeds to
deliver a fierce declaration of independence set to the kinetic
robo-funk of this classic Jam and Lewis production. The forerunner to
all of Beyoncé’s female-empowerment anthems, it was a coming-of-age
moment that was all about her control. And ever since, she’s had lots of it. –C.A.
11. “Broken Hearts Heal” (2015)
Janet opens up about her heartbreak following her brother Michael’s
death: “It was in summer that you left me/The fall and winter never felt
so cold.” But sweetly reminiscing about their childhood, she turns this
airy, jazz-kissed ode into a celebration of a love that “ain’t no
material thing.” And the uncanny way she breathes MJ into her vocal is
the best kind of tribute a little sister could make. –C.A.
10. “If” (1993)
Screaming rock guitars, Broadway-bound strings, and a pulverizing dance
beat coalesced perfectly on this single. Add to that industrial sound
effects for an abrasive hook and you have an ideally edgy setting for
lyrics which vow to fulfill every sexual whim. The video, set in a
geisha house, added a voyeuristic panache. And she gets props for
showcasing touch-screen technology a decade before the iPhone. –J.F.
9. “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” (1997)
Guest MC Q-Tip—who had played Jackson’s murdered boyfriend in the beginning of Poetic Justice—gave the first single from The Velvet Rope
major hip-hop cred. But the biggest coup was receiving permission to
use that sample of Joni Mitchell’s 1970 song “Big Yellow Taxi,” which
Jackson scored after personally asking Mitchell. Clearly the folk icon
knew a dope chill-out groove when she heard one. –C.A.
8. “Nasty” (1986)
Vanity 6 had already excellently defined a Nasty Girl
for us four years earlier, but Janet—or Ms. Jackson if you’re
you-know-what—offered up a whole nasty universe, and told us exactly
what she thought of every last thing in it: Nasty food (bad), a nasty
groove (good!), and most importantly, nasty boys (don’t mean a thing).
She later said the song was partly inspired by a real-life confrontation
with a pack of men who followed her down a street in Minneapolis,
harassing her; they’re all lost to history now, but this fantastic
declaration of “my first name ain’t Baby” independence is forever. –Leah Greenblatt
7. “The Pleasure Principle” (1986)
The sixth (sixth!) Control single offered yet another killer
treatise on choosing singledom and self-respect over the wrong kind of
relationship. (“What I thought was happiness was only part-time bliss.”)
And she was proudly alone in the video too: Just a girl in a warehouse,
working it out and dancing in the opposite direction of a dude she
clearly has no use for anymore. –L.G.
6. “Escapade” (1989) Rhythm Nation’s
third single was exactly what the title implied: a five-minute sonic
vacation to a place with no stress or obligations. “Escapade” also
showed Janet trying on a less-common role—an ordinary girl living
paycheck to paycheck, just looking for a little fun with a cute boy and a
good reason to shout out “Minneapolis!” somewhere in the middle (it is
where the song was recorded, after all). –L.G.
5. “Miss You Much” (1989)
Tell your mama, tell your friends, tell anyone whose ears can
comprehend: 27 years after it sailed to No. 1, Jam and Lewis’ amazingly
dense, club-wrecking production and Jackson’s ecstatic vocals (“That’s
the end?!”) still sound as excitable as ever. –K.O.
4. “That’s the Way Love Goes” (1993)
The lead single janet. wasn’t just the introduction of a newly
sensual Jackson, with its thick, honeyed funk beat and unabashedly
explicit lyrics (“Go deeper baby, deeper/You feel so good I’m gonna
cry”)—it became her most successful U.S. single to date, spending a
whopping eight weeks at the top. The video is also a fantastic place to
spot then-Fly Girl Jennifer Lopez in a featured spot as a backup dancer,
and generally celebrate the brief but potent reign of feathered
chokers. –L.G.
3. “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” (1990)
Janet sings in two voices on this song—one low, the other high. It’s a
small wonder her co-writers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, considered
turning this into a duet, possibly with Prince. But even without such
starry help, the song shot to No. 1, aided by its concussive beat,
candied melody and a black and white video by Herb Ritts that caresses
the star’s every curve. –J.F.
2. “When I Think of You” (1986)
There’s a reason this was Janet’s first No. 1: “When I Think of You” is
simply the most ebullient piece of pop she’s ever recorded. And thanks
to Jam and Lewis’ brilliant, bright production, never has an ode to an
absent lover sounded so life affirming. Thirty years after its release,
it still slays; anyone who doesn’t tap a finger when that horn hook
kicks in needs to check their pulse. –K.O.
1. “Rhythm Nation” (1989)
Long before we were drinking Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Janet was
getting in formation with her army of dancers to start a revolution.
Yes, it rode to the new jack swing of its era, but this industrial-edged
anthem—enlisting a sample of Sly and the Family Stone’s “Thank You
(Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again)”—is one of the most radical hits ever by a
pop diva. It broke all of the lines, color and otherwise, high-stepping
all the way. –C.A.
Details
Album artist: Janet Jackson
Label: Rhythm Nation, BMG
Release date: October 2, 2015
Genre: Pop, R&B
Tracks: 17 (standard), 19 (Target, HMV and Australian standard edition)
Length: 64:37
I've been an avid listeners to Janet Jackson's music for a long time and it sure made me so excited the first time I heard Janet was making a new record. Even though the Unbreakable album was released on October last year, I guess it's not too late because the album surely has great statements not to miss.
Janet has gone from an independent to an icon. Her breakthrough album Control (1986) talks about the singer willingness to be independent and growing into adult an adult. Rhythm Nation (1990) saw Janet's growing social awareness and international stardom. Janet (1993) saw the singer as a more woman than a girl and was a career-defining moment. While, The Velvet Rope (1997) marked herself to be as equally as an iconic musician.
Although her 2001 album All for You could be said as an medium to celebrate herself as an icon, the last three albums until her Discipline album seemed to have a quite different direction to what Janet had been doing with the past albums. Some songs in the albums of Damita Jo, 20 Y.O. and Discipline were good but lacked of power of her songs used to have. The All for You album was too much about celebration and getting laid and the next three albums was even more. She started to change from a trend-setter into a trend-chaser. I couldn't even blame the Super Bowl incident for the low sales because those albums ever since were not so relevant to a Janet as we knew.
Seven years after the Discipline album, Miss Jackson is back and she's nastier and powerful than ever (nasty is not quite relevant). Her latest Unbreakable album brings what her fans have been waiting for, a Janet music which always make a way for itself and isn't necessarily desperate to go for the commercial reception. Janet is back with her long-time collaborator Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and I can say that this trio makes a supreme-level music, iconic as ever.
The lyrical content mainly focuses on love, healing, family, social issues and celebration. The album could be her most decent record in ages. She doesn't need to be nasty, cursing and getting far too explicit because she's already on top of her game. Jackson alongside Jam and Lewis are clearly back to the point where they show
their willingness to experiment but maintaining what today's music buffs
are wishing for. The music doesn't sound like trying too hard. Every song has different emotions to what she said that she's been missing her fans. The whole record is definitely about going back again and so it declares a new sound and a new style (anyway Janet is super cool these days especially the hair).
The album reflects what is her innermost persona but not necessarily being highlighted. Opened with the warm welcoming "Unbreakable" to the hard-to-say-goodbye "Gon' B Alright", Janet manages to express her need to start a "conversation" with her fans and tell her fans to get "No Sleeep". She projects her still-burning Rhythm Nation vibe with "Shoulda Known Better" which basically urges people to stay humble. Also, the critic-slamming song which just very relevant to her state of life, "The Great Forever". Not to miss those club-banging songs such as "Burnitup!" and "Dammn Baby" which are both relevant to today's music markets but still maintain the essence of classic Janet. The album is stylish and down to earth at the same time, a stylish comeback.
While commercially the album is not selling as many as a million in a day, the album shows confident and becomes her strongest record since The Velvet Rope. In the other hand, her strongest as a woman she is now. I absolutely can't wait for what Janet could bring us on her next records. Go Janet!
Janet Jackson just released her first dance video for "Dammn Baby" since having been gone hiatus for 7 years. Since the release of her first music video for the song "No Sleeep",
many fans had expressed their desire for Janet to release a dance video
for songs like "Burnitup!" and "Dammn Baby".
The song, included in her recent release Unbreakable album, is one of few dance songs which is a signature for Janet. Before the release, speculations circulating about a new video being shot was already over the social media. And since last week, Janet had been teasing her fans about the video.
The video is presented in a simplistic empty soundstage shot in black and white. Through the entire video, Janet can be seen dancing through an elaborate and somewhat sultry routine with her dancers. Janet also goes solo at the bridge breakdown as the cuts and flashing lights keep going through the video. For a fan, the video is truly a jubilant welcoming for Janet to her signature dance video. Many fans also praised Jackson's sultriness as well her unprovocative dancing and appearance which is highlighting her talent.
"Dammn Baby" is written by Jackson, Dem Jointz, longtime collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and produced by Jackson, Jam and Lewis. The video is directed by Dave Meyers and choreographed by Gil Duldulao.
"When she's comfortable, she smiles and she giggles and she laughs at
things, and at the same time hit that serious sexy stuff that she does,"
Meyers on Jackson to Rolling Stone. "That's her essence, and when she's in a
comfortable environment, it just naturally comes out."
There's so much more happened in our last 11 months and 31 days than in 2014. Last year has even left so many of us gobsmacked with so many stories, incidents and issues. Our humanity has even been more tested with calamities. More to discuss, to regret, to love and to do. We still need to continue because the world is not waiting for us, time is not waiting for us to think whatever we have to think. It is not a fault to celebrate what we've gone through and celebrating is basically what we need. We live with our own difficulties and levels. Celebrating what we have accomplished obviously feels like a triumph. We all need that, we are all humans and are short of our capabilities. We have the need to feel special.
Too many has happened in our previous year. What our world saw were iPhone 6/6S got launched, Caitlyn Jenner, Isis, Charlie Hebdo, Bobbi Kristina, Paris attacks, Star Wars, water on Mars, Cecil the lion, and God know what else. What the point is, people get older in every new year. And what's better
to do is just deal with it and continue your life, because new year has
never been about starting a new page, it has always about continuing
your life. A new year is just a new day, NBD. So again, we just have to keep moving with what we've got, a little regret is fine. Believe in who we are, get confident in building our own creativity. Celebrate our life everyday by thanking God for the things we live on. Also, start doing better and more beneficial with ourselves. Make real communication and realize that there are next generations that will need things and people to look up to. Therefore, it's time to lower our overbearing big arrogant ego to enable us to do and to invent things that will surely make a better place in the world for now and on.
Our last year, has been good, bad, poignant, (mention your desired
expression), full of ineptitude, faux pas, and you know what else. So
keep what's good and don't just sit waiting for a new year's miracle,
because it's just the same day you wake up. Push all boundaries that made you discouraged because we all have an incredible mind. There's freedom in our mind.
We are all beautiful, we just have to realize that within ourselves. God bless for the next 11 months and 31days.
Happy new year! Feliz año nuevo! Gelukkige nuwe jaar! Bonne année! Frohes neues Jahr! An nou fericit! С новым годом! 新年快乐!
We are human beings living in our own individual lives. The social has changed us in so many ways that we barely even talk to each other. We thought we don't need strangers but when we reached to the point where each of us was vulnerable, we ran for their help. We begged strangers to encourage us, help us, protect us. It's time for us to change the way we live in society. We eventually will need each other. That's our purpose as a human living in a living community.
It doesn't need an incident alike Paris attacks recently to happen again so that we can feel that there's a power in unity, in love and compassion. Life is already full of pain and suffering, we can't block ourselves from anybody. That's just not the way to feel happiness. We need to realize that we live in a community full of diversity. Those human beings who did too many heinous deeds basically need help. Not by judging them we'd find the culmination point, but by showing them that there's still love and freedom. We're not supposed to give in to help each other. Because, again, those people are in our community.
People, it's time for us to comprehend the power of love. With compassion, tolerance, empathy and so many aspects alike will surely help us to feel the power of love. A new movement won't be long to start if we try. There's no turning back, there's no time to just sit and cry. We need to fight for a life with no atrocity. We need to fight for the monster inside of us. It starts with us, doesn't need to wait for the others.