Talk about resilience and savvy career management and Janet Jackson’s name comes to mind. She’s the youngest member of one of the most celebrated families in entertainment and is renowned for her own captivating songs, iconic music videos and bewitching dance moves. Her legendary stage shows and highflying TV and film roles have also helped her to win over the hearts of many fans across the world. Janet Jackson has been a central figure in pop culture for well over 30 years now and it goes without saying that she’s pop royalty.
Although she began her career as an actress on the small screen, Janet was chucked into a recording studio by her iron-fisted father, Joe Jackson, who was convinced that Janet would make more money as a singer. Joe was right. However, unlike Madonna, Janet had very little success at the beginning of her singing career. Her first two albums failed to meet expectations and her lack of agency became apparent. Not one to back down from a good fight, Janet fired her father as manager and hooked up with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who knew exactly how to work with her small voice. They helped her craft her own identity in music and Janet’s rebellious, yet socially conscious songs caught the attention of the world. This marked the beginning of her reign and today Janet has sold well over 160 million albums worldwide!
Thus, I will admit: when Janet announced that she’ll be releasing new music and embarking on a new world tour in 2015, I got a bit nervous. I pulled out Janet: Live in Hawaii and watched her toned body (with mesmerising rock-hard abs) kill choreography on stage and wondered how on earth she’s going to top this at the age of 49. Fortunately, I needn’t have worried. Unfortunately, the days of Janet being a sex symbol are over. It’s clear from the new album that Janet has embraced the fact that she’s aging.
Unbreakable is a beautifully engineered album that captures the wisdom and maturity of an expert pop star. Janet’s voice is ripe and stronger than before. The sound is clean and oh so “plush”. In fact this album should only be played via a good sound system. The lead single “No Sleeep” (featuring J. Cole) is by far the most elegant song on the album. If the lyrics are anything to go by Janet is talking to her billionaire husband Wissam Al Mana and it’s the kind of song you’d find adults playing at a house party on summer’s night. Chilled and groovy, it’s old Janet but in a refreshingly modern environment.
The title track is an ode to her “fans and friends”. It starts off beautifully with Janet’s message at the centre of the intro and ends with an intoxicating beat over which Janet directly addresses the J-Tribe. Michael Jackson’s spirit is felt throughout the album, especially in “The Great Forever”, which Janet delivers in a way that makes one think Michael is the one singing the song. It’s a cheeky song in which the ever so private Janet takes a jab at the paparazzi. She purrs, “It might sound strange to you, but what you think…don’t mean nothing at all. Doesn’t change who I am. Doesn’t change who I love.” Definitely one of my favourites. In “Broken Hearts Heal” Janet properly pays tribute to the late King of Pop by recalling the special bond they shared and the days their father used to abuse them. The song has a recurring upbeat tempo that livens up the mood despite the gloomy lyrics. Janet’s raw emotions can also be felt in the sad but true “After You Fall”. While I initially found songs like “Shoulda Known Better” and “Take Me Away” to be a bit alternative, I eventually warmed up to them. “Night” is a definite winner. It cements Janet’s status as the real Queen of Pop. Other songs to look out for on the album include “Burn It Up” (featuring Missy Elliot), “Dammn Baby” and “Black Eagle”.
It’s a well-known fact that Janet’s music career suffered a massive blow after her 2004 Super Bowl performance with Justin Timberlake, where Justin ripped Janet’s clothes off and exposed her breast to the world. By the way this inspired the creation of YouTube. Nevertheless, what the American TV networks and radio stations that blacklisted Janet cannot take away from her is the blueprint she has set for many female pop stars today. Unbreakable is a bold statement about her strength and resilience. In this album Janet seems to have embraced all her life experiences (good and bad) and offers a bit of advice to anybody who cares to listen. She has a lot to say and nothing to prove. It’s amazing how far a small voice can travel. BET rightly gave her the first ever Ultimate Icon Award. Like a black eagle, Janet Jackson is flying very high.
Unbreakable gets an 8/10 from me.
By KG
@KayGeeLIFE