Janet Jackson's hit single Nothing — the theme song from Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too? — is generating almost as much Oscar buzz as it feels riddled with grief. Jackson learned of her brother Michael's death while filming the movie in Atlanta, before she had recorded the song.
Even though Jackson says Nothing is not about her brother, whom she won't talk about much these days, the song's melancholy and emotional grit leads one to wonder. It's no stretch to think that Jackson, who's known for having a particularly strong work ethic and occasionally losing herself in creative projects during turbulent times, was channelling the fallout of her personal tragedy into her music.
Which may be why Nothing, her third film song to date, is resonating so deeply with fans. The song went straight to number four on iTunes when it was released in March. After her appearance on the finale of American Idol, where she performed a medley that included Nothing on live TV, the single shot to number one. The song is now featured on Jackson's recent album Icons, which showcases 11 of her 35 hit singles throughout the years. It's a touching, melodic ballad about truth, trust and relationships.
"Even though it sounds like a sad song, it's hopeful," says Jackson, nestled on a velvety brown couch in a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel. She leans in close, like a girlfriend sharing a secret, her voice urgent but still soft. "When you really listen to it, it's really hopeful. I didn't know if I wanted to call the song Trust In Me or Nothing. It's really about the characters [in the movie] and pulling as much as I could from each relationship."
Reflective
Fresh off a junket for another, more recent, Tyler Perry movie, For Colored Girls, in which she stars, Jackson is surprisingly relaxed. She's dressed comfortably but still stylishly, with an angular buzz cut and wearing a sleek, black leather jacket. At 44, she is perhaps a bit reflective; Icons, and especially her earlier 2009 release, the double-disc album Number Ones, together collect nearly all of her 35 hit singles spanning more than two decades, from 1986 to 2010. It's a musical prism of sense memories for her.
"I never kept a journal — my albums were my journals," she says. Still, Jackson has listened to the albums only one time each. "I don't normally go back and listen to my music unless I'm working on a project or it's a tour. But it made me really smile and reminisce a great deal, so it was nice."
There's more reminiscing, this time tapping into earlier, childhood memories, in her first book, True You, which is due out on February 8. Having struggled with weight and body issues over the years, the book is Jackson's attempt to help readers learn from her experiences. Broadly aimed at women, men and teens, it combines diet and exercise advice with personal titbits from her life.
"It's a self help book, not an autobiography," she says. "There are anecdotes stemming from my childhood until today. It's just my stories. I also have stories from fans who have let me in there as well, so maybe they can relate and know they are not alone."
Intimate venues
As if film junkets and book tours weren't enough on her plate, Jackson is also preparing to embark on her biggest world tour yet — 35 cities to celebrate 35 hit singles — and, for the first time, she'll be appearing exclusively at smaller, intimate venues chosen by fans who have voted on her website, janetjackson.com. On tour, which is expected to start in January, Jackson will perform only her number one hits, including Nasty, Control and, of course, Nothing, which she co-wrote with Johnta Austin, Bryan- Michael Cox and her ex-boyfriend of seven years, Jermaine Dupri.
"I did a performance in New York not that long ago at Radio City [Music Hall], a private performance, and it was really, really intimate. And I had so much fun," she says. "I said, This is it. This would be the way to go. Really be able to be up close. And to let the fans choose where they want me to go. And the response has been crazy."
Jackson says the votes have been pouring in and Hong Kong will be the first city she visits, on February 14.
Next up, time permitting, is a new album to work on during 2011. "I'll just have to fit it in while on tour," she says, stressing that her new project will not be looking backward or forward. Instead, she plans to stay in the moment.
"No rush, no deadlines, just create, see what I'm feeling, see where the music goes," she says. "I want to see where I am in my life at that moment."
