The world of mainstream music is constantly transforming as new artists, styles and trends are embraced with each passing year. In spite of these changes, some musicians have maintained their popularity across decades, reinventing their sounds and careers. Each week, A&E columnist Emily McCormick will discuss the evolution of ’90s artists who have carried the spirit of their decade into today’s music scene.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of a diva is a lipstick-laden prima donna with an aggressive ego and major attitude. But in the ’90s, diva was a name to be won, reserved for only the most assertive, compelling performers in the entertainment industry.
The competition for the title of diva was fierce: The decade was, after all, the era of the rhinestone-studded Britney Spears, high-note belting Whitney Houston and midriff-baring Mariah Carey.
However, standing in a category all her own, dancing to her own beat, was Janet Jackson. Starting as far back as the ’80s with sassy music videos like “The Pleasure Principle” and “Rhythm Nation,” Jackson built herself an empire on sultry dance moves, disco pop tunes and messages of empowerment.
She was undeniably a reigning diva, and it’s a crown she’s yet to relinquish.
At first glance, it’s easy to think Jackson had a easy-in to fame – after all, the Jackson family was in the public eye in the ’90s about as much as the Kardashian family is today. What was so admirable about Janet Jackson, though, was that she was never one to rely on her star-studded surname.
Her 1993 album “janet.” was her declaration of independence, solidifying her own sound, style and name: Janet period, not just another Jackson and certainly not just Michael Jackson’s little sister. Alternating between upbeat songs with heart-pumping pulses and slower, seductive ballads, the album was also Jackson’s first bold statement of female sensuality.
Not only was she a famous female entertainer of color, but she was one unafraid to sing songs like “The Body That Loves You,” declaring her sexual empowerment. “janet.” became timeless: “Any Time, Any Place” was sampled by Kendrick Lamar in his 2012 track “Poetic Justice,” and samples from “If” were used in Moon Boots’ “Sugar” the same year.
Though certainly an icon of strength, Jackson proved she was able to get in touch with a more vulnerable side as well. Her 1997 album “The Velvet Rope” delves into personal subject matter, including Jackson’s struggles with depression and physical abuse. However, even her rawest songs, like “I Get So Lonely,” are accompanied by music videos that show off Jackson’s uncrushable strength and talent.
Music videos have definitely been a recurring theme in Jackson’s career, and have become one of her signatures as a performer. Accompanied by videos full of hard-hitting dance moves and fierce showmanship, Jackson’s music is both an aural and visual experience. In my mind, the music video to “Rhythm Nation,” complete with military-precise moves and a factory-style set, is just as unforgettably iconic as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
Naturally, I was ecstatic to hear the legendary pop queen would be back this year, first with the single “No Sleeep” with J. Cole in June and now with a shiny new album to add to her collection spanning from the ’80s to now. Her first album since 2008, “Unbreakable,” released Friday, was certainly worth the wait.
With lyrics like “Truth is, truth is I wouldn’t be here / Without the love I stand on” on top of a tappable R&B beat, “Unbreakable” is undeniably a statement piece, yet another proclamation of strength by Jackson. In the seven years since her last album release, even with a lull in her music career and dealing with her older brother’s death in 2008, “Unbreakable” proves Jackson still has spunk to spare and a extensive-enough fan base to book a tour spanning the globe.
Despite the years she took off prior to the release of “Unbreakable,” Jackson never really disappeared from the pop music scene. Jackson had always been an early inspiration for the ideal pop persona: A multitalented star packaged with killer vocals, dance moves and personality.
She continues to be an inspiration to artists of all genres because she knew how to deliver on every album, music video and live show. P!nk, Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Lopez all cite Jackson as one of their biggest influences.
Across the decades and eleven albums later, Janet Jackson’s diva status has certainly proven to be “Unbreakable.”
– Emily McCormick
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