Janet Jackson covers Billboard magazine before she rocks the stage at the 2018 Billboard Awards on Sunday. Go inside to celebrate her queendom, plus get your laugh on at Issa Rae and GQ shading Variety's Photoshop fail inside...
Before she's set to receive the Billboard ICON Award and perform on television for the first time in 9 years, Janet Jackson is making waves on the magazine circuit.
The 52-year-old entertainer, who celebrated a birthday a few days ago, covers the newest issue of Billboard magazine to talk about what it was like breaking into the music industry as a kid, new music she's writing now, motherhood, and what keeps her going.
There's no doubt that she's a musical ICON. The youngest Jackson became the first woman to debut a song directly in the Hot 100's top 10 when her duet with brother Michael Jackson, "Scream," started at No. 5 on June 17, 1995. Her fourth album, Rythm Nation 1814, featured seven singles that hit the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989-91.
She's the only artist to boast three albums that each contain at least five top 10 Hot 100 hits. And she's been able to have reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart in four consecutive decades, a mark matched only by Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen and U2. Okkkuurrr!
Peep a few highlights from her interview below:
On when she first launched her solo career:
Excitement was in the air. Music was always my heart, and now I was getting to sing my heart out. The songs were good, but they weren’t me. [She only began co-writing most of her songs on Control.] That was a little confusing. I knew I had something to say, I knew I had to assert myself. I also knew I had to go through the painful process of what my brothers had gone through. I had to thank my father for his help and then move on. I had to assert myself.
On working with her brother Michael Jackson in the studio:
That brings up a precious memory. It happened in the early ’80s. I was 16 and in between my first two records. Michael was recording [1982’s] Thriller. He invited me to the studio where he was about to sing “P.Y.T.” and asked me to help out on background vocals. Since we had been singing together forever, I knew it’d be easy. I jumped at the chance. I loved being one of the P.Y.T.’s and was especially proud -- I hope this doesn’t sound like bragging -- that when the record was mixed, my single background voice was the one featured. I can’t tell you how good that made me feel.
On working on new music:
I wish I could. I’m not trying to avoid the question and be secretive, but the truth is that I don’t try to analyze the creative process while it’s still ongoing. I’m very intuitive about writing. Anything can inspire me. This morning, I saw this lovely elderly Japanese woman walking down the streets of Hollywood wearing an adorable bonnet with bright red flowers. She might be a song. I remembered an especially painful chapter in my early life last night before going to bed. That might be a song. I woke up this morning and heard a bird chirping in a rhythm that captivated my heart. Maybe that will turn into a new groove. Like everyone else, my feelings are fluid. My ideas are fleeting. I like to keep it that way. I can’t decide in advance what a song or an album concept will be. I have to let those songs and concepts come to me rather than chase them down.
On what keeps her going:
The drive is in my DNA. I couldn’t lose it if I wanted to, and I don’t. Motivation is something I treasure. Besides, for all its difficulties, this is the life I love. I’m surrounded with a team of dancers, singers and musicians I love. I’m supported by fans that have stuck by me through thick and thin. They mean the world to me. Now more than ever, performing, whether in the studio or onstage, brings me a satisfaction I find nowhere else. Like millions of other women, I’ve struggled with low self-esteem my whole life. I’m doing better in that regard. My inclination toward harsh self-criticism and even self-negation has dramatically eased up. I believe in all the different methods of help -- smart psychology, vigorous exercise and sincere spirituality.
On her son showing her what real love is:
And while we’re talking about positivity, let me also say that my son, even in his short 17 months on the planet, has showed me that love, no matter how deeply you believe you have experienced that emotion, can always go deeper. Love is limitless. And for someone like me, raised in show business where self-concern is always a priority, how fortunate I am now to be concerned, first and foremost, with the welfare of someone else. Day after day and night after night, holding my baby in my arms, I am at peace. I am blessed. I feel bliss. In those moments, all is right with the world.
We're so glad she has found a space where she can be happy.
Peep a behind-the-scenes clip of Janet during her photoshoot:
The 2018 Billboard Music Awards, hosted by Kelly Clarkson, will broadcast live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 20 at 8pm EST on NBC.
On another magazine front....
Remember that epic Photoshop fail Variety magazine did with Oprah and 11-other A-listers where they gave Lady O an extra hand?
Well, GQ is taking advantage of the moment with their brand new cover that features Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon and Sarah Silverman. And it's the perfect issue to do it since it's the comedy issue. As you can see, the cover features extra body parts that are oddly placed in several spots.
The site jokingly writes:
In an effort to ensure that an error of this magnitude never happens again, and because this sounds like the right thing to say, GQ will be conducting a thorough internal audit of our cover-development process. To demonstrate our commitment to transparency, we will release the results of the review, quietly, in 17 months, on Medium.
And to you, our respected readers, we know that GQ must work doubly hard to earn back your trust. Until then, we'll be ignoring our mentions.
Come back to GQ.com next week to read the profiles of our three wildly talented, extremely two-handed cover stars. In the meantime, we'll be praying that Donald Trump tweets something about Chrissy Teigen in the next hour so everybody forgets all about this.
Ha! Good one.
Photos: Billboard/GQ