Category: News

MTV News has posted a new interview it has conducted with Janet in which she talks about her new album, Discipline. Read it below.

Janet Jackson may not be 20 years old anymore, but the sexy singer is still in control, even if she’s loosened the reins on her career a bit.

“It has a lot of different meanings for me,” Jackson told MTV News on Tuesday about her latest album title, Discipline, an unintentional nod to her breakthrough album, Control. The new album, her 10th studio project, is due February 26.

“But the most important [meaning] is my discipline in my work,” she continued, speaking from the Los Angeles office of her label, Island Def Jam Records. “To have done it for as long as I have … there’s a lot of discipline in that, and focus. And obviously, God [plays a part].”

From the album’s concept to the creation of the tracks to planning the forthcoming tour, Jackson explained that she’s just not the type to sit back and be waited on hand and foot. Rather, she wants to offer input and get her hands dirty. It’s the only way she can offer her fans a look at her life.

“It’s not that this is my show,” she said. “I want the audience to get a sense of me. So that they get to know me a little bit better, so everything that they see is coming from me, at least half of it because I’m working with someone. So it’s a sense of me, that’s what it really is, not wanting to control at all.”

Boyfriend Jermaine Dupri, along with Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Missy Elliott and Bryan-Michael Cox, was among the writers and producers that helped Jackson shape Discipline’s sound. But it was Rodney Jerkins’ contributions that the singer raved about.

“It was great working with Rodney,” she said. “There’s a connection there between the two of us, for sure. He feels it; he’s mentioned it to me. I felt it, but I wasn’t gonna say anything to him about it. [She laughs.] There’s a connection with everyone I work with, but definitely a much stronger connection between [me and] Rodney and Jermaine. He just got me. Either someone is gonna get you or they’re not. They all did, all the producers that I worked with on this project. But Rodney really got me, he understood me. It’s like having a lost brother or cousin; he really understands me. There’s a very good chemistry.”

The pair worked on “Rollercoaster,” a steamy number chronicling the ups and downs of love. “I’m in and out of love/ And it’s all because/ I can’t make up my mind/ I’m so confused/ Don’t know what to do/ And it’s ’cause of you,” she sings on the standout song.

“It’s just this ride, and before you know it, someone has just taken your heart over completely and you don’t really know what to do with that,” Jackson said. The song seems to echo her own ambitions for the project, given the disappointing receptions of her two most recent efforts, 20 Y.O. and Damita Jo.

“I just want [my new songs] to make [the fans] happy, the way that I’ve always wanted with the other albums,” she said. “I want them to forget about their worries, if any, for the 50 minutes and just dance and feel certain emotions that hopefully I’ll take them through, and reminisce and just have a good time with it.”

In a new interview with Gay.com, Janet reveals how her record label gave her flak for wanting to put Free Xone on her album Velvet Rope, how she loves gang-related drama, documentaries about the future and space and her thoughts on American Idol.

She first shined for us in the ’70s, as little Penny on the hilarious ghetto ’70s sitcom “Good Times.” Then, through the ’80s and ’90s, she wowed us with rock-hard abs and dazzling dance moves — at a time when Britney still had Mickey Mouse ears clinging to her head. We all wanted to be citizens of her “Rhythm Nation,” and her catchy “Control” made us want to lose it.

But today, if you asked Janet Jackson, “What have you done for me lately?” she’d probably say she wants to give you “Discipline,” the title of her new fiercely infectious CD, due out Feb. 26.

And now, even though her infamous boob-baring “wardrobe malfunction” at Super Bowl 2006 is a distant memory, she’s still willing to expose herself. You, our Gay.com members, told us what we should ask Ms. Jackson, and then we chose the top five questions. Read on to see what she says about being a mentor to “Idol” contestants, obsessing over gangsters, doing a cover of Prince and getting love from her gay and lesbian fans.

Do you watch “American Idol”? Would you ever consider being a judge or a mentor on the show?

I’ve never watched a full season of the show, but I have definitely seen it here and there. I think it’s wonderful, but I hate the whole judging process — I’d be horrible at that, just awful. It’s not me at all. But as far as being the mentoring artist, that I could probably do.

Would you ever consider doing an album of remakes of contemporary songs? Our readers think you’d make a great cover of Prince’s “If I Was your Girlfriend.”

[Screams] Oh my God, I love that! I haven’t heard that song in so long! Yes, I have thought about doing an album of remakes, but I’ve never really thought about what period or what genre. I do love the idea of doing (remakes), and I really love the idea of covering “If I Was Your Girlfriend.”

What kind of television does Janet Jackson watch?

I do watch a fair amount of TV and it all depends on what kind of mood I’m in. I love documentaries. I like things that are on the future and the galaxy. I like those modern marvel-type things, and I love history.

And you know what else I really like? Gangster stuff. Oh my God, ever since I was a kid I’ve been into gangster things. People are always surprised to hear that, but things that have to do with the Mafia, or anything drug-related. I just love that stuff — stories on mobsters or drug dealers, I find all that stuff interesting. Stories on those people’s lives always interest me.

You are getting a GLAAD Vanguard award. What does that mean to you?

Oh my God, so much to me. It really does. It never in a million years would have entered my mind that someone would say, “You know what, let’s give this award to Janet.” When they told me, I was just so surprised and felt so honored. And the gay community has just been so, so supportive.

Why do you think gay men and lesbians like you?

I think my gay and lesbians fans can actually feel the love, and see the love that I have for them. I also think they can tell that it’s actually genuine. A journalist recently asked me if there was ever a time I made conscious choice to “go after the gay community,” and it was never about that. It was just always me speaking from my heart, doing what I felt, writing about things that concerned me.

I think my gay fans picked up that vibe. I think they felt it most on the “Velvet Rope” album, but other albums too.

And you know, I got some flak for it, but standing by what I really believe in, or something I think is right, is really important to me.

Even the record label (gave me flack).With certain songs like “Free Zone” or “Tonight’s the Night,” some people wanted me to change the lyrics of “Tonight’s the Night,” and I said, “Why? Because I’m singing to another girl. Are you telling me that does not exist in this world? There’s nothing wrong with that.” So I just sort of did it anyway.

There were even some who thought I didn’t think I should have written “Together Again” and didn’t want me to do it. And I said, “Look, that just is just stupid.”

Janet appears on the cover of this week’s The Big Issue in Britain. The magazine, which is sold by homeless people on the streets of Britain to help them make money, features an interview with Janet in which she talks about British musicians she listens to (such as Natasha Bedingfield, Amy Winehouse and Coldplay), how she was meant to be spending Valentine’s Day in Europe and how she’s never ridden the subway. Read the full interview on Janet’s blog, but if you’re in the UK please endeavour to buy the magazine to support those without shelter.

In a new interview, VH1 has spoken to Janet about her back catalogue of what she terms ‘baby-making songs’. In it, she reveals some of the inspiration behind the tracks and also what they mean to her. Read the interview below.

Let’s first talk about “Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun).” That’s sort of the prototypical Janet baby-making song.

I was just a baby myself when I did that. I’ve heard people say that that has kind of a Jackson feel, that it’s reminiscent of stuff my family’s done in the past, musically speaking. I guess it does. Thinking about it then, I didn’t hear it, but thinking about it now, it kind of does. It was just giving people a chance to see another side of me. Just a little glimpse into a world that later they’d see a lot.

How about “Someday Is Tonight”? I always thought of that song as a sequel to “Let’s Wait a While.”

It was!

A lot of people credit “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” as being your gateway into sexy territory, but to me, the janet. album initially was set up by “Someday.”

You’re absolutely right. You’re the first person to say that. I felt a little bit more comfortable with letting people a little more into my world. “Someday Is Tonight” is a continuation of, “OK, now that you’ve waited this long…” And I even say in the song, “I know I promised I’d be worth the wait / The wait is over, please don’t hesitate.” Someone said to me a long time ago about the janet. album being very sensual and sexy: “What message are you sending to the kids? You talked about ‘Let’s Wait a While.’” And I said, “Well, I’m in my 20’s now. How long do you want me to wait?”

How about “The Body That Loves You,” speaking of janet.?

You’re pulling out stuff that people don’t talk about! I love “The Body That Loves You.” It has this island feel. It’s not Brazilian, but it has a little bit of that feel about it. One of my favorite genres of music is Brazilian music. I got into that when I was 14 years old. That and jazz. As much as I loved Stevie and my brothers’ music, I listened to Astrud and João Gilberto, Gilberto Gil and Maria Bethânia. I keep telling myself, “You gotta do something that has that feel to it.” [”The Body That Loves You”] was the closest I ever came to that. I’m still going to, but I’ve never tapped upon that sound the way I want to. “Body” has that cool, relaxed, laid-back, ocean-beach, just chill feel to it. It’s just a beautiful song to me.

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