Pop Icon Janet Jackson features on the cover of the latest issue of Gotham magazine. Though the shoot are outtakes from promotion portraits for her 2008 LP ‘Discipline’, the interview feature is new. Jackson, 43, talks the passing of her brother Michael, her upcoming album, new years resolutions and more. {Spotted over at our good friends over at Concrete Loop}
On what she’s taken from Michael’s death:
“When you hear people say life goes on, it’s really the truth. You can’t stop living. It becomes a part of you. I feel a bit selfish because there are times I feel I shouldn’t be doing this, but I enjoy my work and I have to keep doing it. I have to keep my life going. There are days that are harder than others.”
On her New Year’s resolutions:
“I want to learn a language. I haven’t decided which, but it’s between French, Spanish and Italian. I also want to get closer to God.”
On her new album:
“It’s going to be a little different. The writing is about life experiences. There’s a part of me that’s craving escapism, which is a sense of wanting to keep on moving with my work but also of coming to terms with reality. So I think it will be upbeat and light.”
On her new book:
“I hope it’s inspiring for all ages. I’m talking about weight loss, confidence, self-esteem—especially in your youth. It’s not an autobiography, but there are little anecdotes that I give here and there from my childhood all the way to the present that I thought would be interesting and helpful to share.”
On what she loves about New York:
“Everything. I love the energy–the creative energy. I’ve been here for 12 years and I will be here for the rest of my life.”
I really commend Janet for pressing on through everything. In being 100% honest with you though, and you know that’s how we like to keep it around here, I can’t say I was feeling the ‘it will be upbeat and light’ part. I mean, she said it’s going to be a little different, yet in it being ‘upbeat and light’, it’s sounding like it’ll be in the vein of much of her post-‘Velvet Rope’ releases.
Though I really enjoyed some of her less serious albums – ‘Damita Jo’ and ‘Discipline’ particularly, the public know all that she’s been through over the last few years (split from Jermaine, MJ’s death etc). Hence it’s hard to believe folk will readily swallow the idea of an ‘escapist’, not-addressing-the-drama LP from Ms. Jackson. That said, if the music is good, which I’m sure it will be, who knows, folk may just look past all that. Personally, though, I’d like to see a healthy balance of tackling the issues in ‘her world’ (especially as she’s writing again) and moving on (the escapism, living life aspect).
In any case, Ms. Jackson’s new LP – said to be released by Interscope – is pencilled in for a June release.
Your thoughts?
