Janet talks about Madonna, gay-marriages and the new album

We’re ‘So Excited’

Gay icon Janet Jackson talks about new album, same-sex marriage — and Madonna

By KEVIN NAFF
Friday, September 29, 2006

WITHOUT JANET Jackson, no one would be one-two stepping to Ciara or celebrating Beyonce’s B’Day. And Mouseketeer Justin Timberlake — who has shamelessly appropriated the Jackson family’s moves for years — would be dancing in theme park musical productions instead of bringing sexy back.

After inspiring a league of imitators during 20 years in the music business, Jackson releases her ninth studio album this week, “20 Y.O.,” a wonderfully self-referential return to the top of her game and a nod to the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking 1986 album “Control.”

In the midst of a whirlwind media tour to promote the album, which has included a stop on Oprah’s couch and a “Today” show appearance, Jackson granted the Blade an exclusive interview this week in which she talked about the album, the MTV boycott of her videos, her gay fans and even Madonna.

Although Jackson has always said she writes songs about what’s happening in her life, there is no mention on “20 Y.O.” of the Super Bowl controversy or her brother Michael’s acquittal on child molestation charges.

“I got all of that out of my system,” she says in explaining the decision not to reflect on those events. “That’s not what I’m feeling right now. I wrote about [those controversies] but I didn’t choose to put it out there on the album.”

In 2004, for the first time since the 1980s, a Janet Jackson album failed to hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The commercially disappointing “Damita Jo” opened at No. 2 and went on to sell about one million copies. Despite the lackluster response to that album, Jackson says she’s not feeling pressure to hit No. 1 with “20 Y.O.”

“It’s more important for the record company than for me,” she says. “I just want to bring happiness to people. Of course you want it to be successful, but I really just want to bring a smile to people’s faces.”


ONE FACTOR THAT will impact sales of the new album is video exposure. Although BET and VH1 have been playing the first two singles, “Call on Me” and “So Excited,” MTV appears to be boycotting all things Janet.

MTV, which named Jackson its inaugural “Icon” award winner in 2001, produced the infamous half-time show in which Jackson’s breast was exposed. But MTV’s anger over the incident apparently doesn’t extend to Timberlake, whose new single is in heavy rotation. Jackson says she’s heard that MTV has disrespected her fans, but she brushes off the snub.

“The fans get upset and talk about boycotting [MTV],” she says. “It is what it is, but I’m not losing sleep over it. I appreciate the love and support the fans have shown me.”

To reach those fans in the absence of MTV support, Jackson and her promotions team have waged an aggressive web promotion campaign that includes a revamped official website, janet-jackson.com, and a new MySpace site that includes an exclusive video diary. She teased fans earlier this year with the online-only release of a cover of Debbie Deb’s 1980s song “Lookout Weekend.”

Janet clearly recognizes that many of those fans she’s reaching out to are gay. She clarified that she has never been involved in a gay relationship herself, but that she has many gay friends, several of whom are dancers in her upcoming tour.

She says she doesn’t understand why so many people oppose same-sex marriage, “We’re all human and we all fall in love, so why should our sexual preference matter?”

There are no wild innovations or dramatic departures on “20 Y.O.,” but the album is chock full of hits. There is no dead weight on this record, as on “Damita Jo.”

This time out, with help from longtime beau and hit maker Jermaine Dupri and producers and co-writers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jackson delivers a string of well-crafted tunes. “There’s something to be said for not saying anything,” she says in the introduction to the album. “I want to keep it light. I want to have fun.”

And fun is what she delivers, especially for dance music fans. The album opens with a series of five sure-fire club-banging hits, starting with the current single, “So Excited.” Despite lyrics like, “I’ll open my spot for you, anytime you want me to,” Jackson has ratcheted down the vulgarity this time out. She’s still freaky, but the 40-year-old Janet sounds more mature and confident than she has in the recent past.

Dirty Southern rapper Khia (of “My Neck, My Back” infamy) guests on “So Excited,” which is followed by four more fast-paced songs: “Show Me,” “Get It Out Me,” “Do It 2 Me” and “This Body,” featuring a rollicking guitar riff that recalls “Rhythm Nation” hit “Black Cat.”

In fact, the album is full of sly samples from Jackson’s extensive back catalogue. Listen carefully, and you’ll hear snippets from “Rhythm Nation,” “I Get Lonely” and other previous Jackson hits as she looks back on 20 years in music.

After the opening barrage of infectious beats, Jackson slows things to a mid-tempo groove with songs like “With U” and “Call on Me,” a duet with Nelly that hit No. 1on Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop chart.

The interludes that Jackson is known for interspersing on her albums are spare this time, with just three short breaks plus an intro and outro. The interludes succeed in preparing the listener for what’s to come and transitioning between the faster, mid-tempo and slower ballad tracks.

Jackson’s persona has always included the over-the-top diva as well as the vulnerable and shy side, which she successfully mines on “Take Care,” a whispering, smooth ballad.

Among the standouts — and there are many — “Do It 2 Me” and “Daybreak” really shine.

“Enjoy” is classic, upbeat Janet, reminiscent of “Runaway” and “Escapade.” She coos, “Livin’ every day like it’s my last/ I refuse to be stuck in the past/People acting like machines/cause they’re scared to live their dreams, no not me.”

JACKSON SAYS HER gay fans have another treat yet to come. She promises a song called “Clap Your Hands” will be a big hit with the gay club crowd. The song isn’t on the version of “20 Y.O.” released this week, but is coming on a future re-release of the album, along with a possible duet with Mariah Carey, which Jackson says is still in the works.

Asked if she would ever consider a duet with longtime chart rival and fellow gay-favorite Madonna, Jackson says she hasn’t thought about it.

“No one’s ever asked me that,” she says, adding that she and Madonna have never actually met. “Isn’t that surprising?”

She declined to speculate about how many singles to expect from the album, saying, “it’s up to the market,” but did confirm that she will launch a world tour in March.

“I’m sure we’ll stop in Washington,” she says, adding that the show will include a mixture of new and old hits. “I don’t like going to a show where all they perform is the new album.”

After the tour, Jackson says she has no idea what’s next for her professionally, but she would like to pursue film roles.

“I’d like to have a family and I’m getting older,” she says. “I don’t know what’s next, I’m as much in the dark as you are.”