She continued her television work in the short-lived A New Kind of Family (1979), the sitcom Different Strokes (1984-5) and the teen drama Fame (1984-5), based at a New York City performing arts high school.
Her performance earned her the attention of a producer who hired her to play Penny, a regular on the TV comedy series Good Times, from 1977-79. In 1976, she appeared on The Jacksons, a summer replacement television show.
Janet Jackson first appeared onstage in April 1974, singing and doing impressions alongside brother Randy in the Jackson family's Las Vegas act. The tensions within the family certainly increased on account of Michael's eventual emergence as a solo artist and superstar. La Toya famously chronicled their tumultuous childhood - including charges of physical and sexual abuse by father Joseph - in her tell-all autobiography, but Janet and her other siblings disputed La Toya's account. The Jackson children were raised in the Jehovah's Witness faith, as Katherine Jackson had been baptized as a Witness in the '60s. He loved the Three Stooges, he loved slapstick, he loved Eddie Murphy in his silly comedies. Sometimes his humor would be corny, sometimes dry. The last time we were together, he'd laugh so hard, he would just start crying. The problem was with my perception, not with their hearts.” “ loved to laugh. They were merely talking the way they talk. That made me so uncomfortable I wanted to go home-until I saw that they meant no harm or offense. And then suddenly I'm off to Minneapolis, and these guys, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, are running around cursing like crazy. On a psychological level, though, good sex, satisfying sex, is also linked with losing yourself, releasing, using your body to get out of your body.” “I come from a sheltered background. In the age of AIDS, it certainly requires being responsible. It's letting go, giving and getting what you need. The ‘Janet’ album was sexual and I was beginning to really discover that side of me.” “.sex isn't just fire and heat, it's natural beauty. I was a tomboy, actually, and they always told me I’d grow out of it but I told them that I never wanted to and I wouldn’t.” “I always write my music based on what is going on in my life at the time. I want people to know that I'm real.” “With my friends, their older sisters and brothers would yell at them and tell them to get out and leave them alone and shut up, but my brothers and sisters never did that to me. But it bothers me that some people think someone gave me an image or told me what songs to sing or what clothes to wear.
To find out when Janet is coming to your town, check out the official Janet Jackson site.“It sounds so selfish to say I, I, I. The Unbreakable World Tour continues through November 12, with additional dates expected to be announced. It’s a sight to see in itself, and a testament to Janet Jackson’s longevity and boundary-breaking career. Friends who have been belting out “Black Cat” and “Miss You Much” since middle school. Familial generations who share a love for the diva’s music. The sweeping level of diversity is matched only by the crowd’s energy. The song itself is a crowd-pleaser, but hearing the duo together again is enough to give even the casual concert-goer goose bumps.Įvery age, race and personality is represented at the Unbreakable World Tour. And as a nod to her late superstar brother, Janet performs their song, “Scream,” alongside a pre-recorded track of Michael’s voice. Not only does she share his genetic gift for technical performance, she radiates an undeniable energy from the stage out into the audience, just like the King of Pop. While Janet stands alone as an artist and an icon, it’s hard not to think of her brother Michael while watching her perform. Janet Jackson starts and ends this night, and she’s all you’ll need to see. Every song is something to sing (and dance) along to.
Prefer your Janet from the ’90s? How about “Escapade,” “Alright” and “Together Again?” 2000s? “All For You” and “All Nite (Don’t Stop)” will make you happy. See her first single: “No Sleeep.”) Want to hear ’80s Janet? She brings out “Nasty,” “Control” and “Pleasure Principle” to name just a few.
Unbreakable is full of Janet-centric tracks that will have you grooving your way through traffic. Janet powers through more than 30 songs throughout the show, 95 percent of which you know even if you haven’t bought her new album. Got it? Now compare that to the Unbreakable World Tour set list. (Seriously.) Now write down every single Janet Jackson song you love.