In the early ‘80s, my musical tastes were more Mickey Mouse than Whitney Houston. Luckily I had a cool cousin to acquaint me with the world of R&B and pop music.
My first encounter with Janet Jackson happened while perusing through her extensive tape collection.
I vividly remember seeing the cover of Jackson’s debut self-titled album that pictured the young starlet emerging out of a body of water. I briefly thought, “Who’s that?” and kept browsing.
As time went on, I learned of her musical roots and had seen her in episodes of “Good Times” and “Diff’rent Strokes” but it wasn’t until I saw the video (most likely on BET’s Video Soul) for “Control” that I knew she was something special.
“Control” commanded attention and became the anthem of girls and women who were determined to blaze their own trails on their own terms. That song was so empowering to me.
Janet’s voice, her lyrics, and her evolving style have kept me holding on for more. That’s why I am eagerly anticipating her coming to the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand, one of several stops on her “Number Ones: Up Close and Personal” tour.
Tickets are still available. For those who want their Janet fix prior to the concert, read the following Q&A with the Recorder:
Recorder: You’ve been singing and acting the majority of your life. Do you make sure that one doesn’t become more important than the other?
Janet Jackson: I like doing it all and try to balance every aspect of my life. Acting was always my first passion and that is what I thought I would do with my life. I am very grateful for the success that I have had with my music as well.
There’s a lot of passion and personality in your music and acting. When drawing inspiration for a new song or role, is that source the same or different?
When writing my music, I write about what is going on in my life at that time. It’s like my diary. When I act, I may pull from things that happened in my life, but it is about bringing a character to life, trying to find out what is true about that character and bringing that.
How do you feel about returning to Indiana to perform?
I am excited to be back in Indiana. We are going to have a lot of fun.
You titled this tour the “Number Ones Up Close and Personal” and your book True You is very candid. How and why are you so comfortably vulnerable with your fans?
We are all very much alike. I wrote my book True You because I wanted the people who read it, especially the kids, to know that they are not alone.
When I was in New York, just before my tour started, I was doing a private date at Radio City Music Hall. It is a more intimate venue and while I was singing and dancing, all I could think of was, ‘This is how I wanted to do my next tour.’ I get so much energy from the fans and love to see as much of them as possible. This tour is a ‘thank you’ for all of their support over the years.
Your concerts are consistently energetic and dynamic. How do you physically and mentally prepare in order to give your fans a great show? How is preparing for this show different from previous shows?
We rehearse for hours, but with this tour we were in dance rehearsal for about two weeks. Other than the short time to create the show, it is pretty much the same.
Some of the songs you’ll be singing at the Indiana State Fair, you’ve sang hundreds of times. How do you make each song fresh and new?
It’s all about the audience! When I go on stage, I want them to forget their troubles, if only for a few hours. I get so much energy from them and that is what makes performing so much fun for me.
