Janet Jackson: Black Diamond
The Queen of Pop stages another global coup, citing a new tour and a new album
Janet Jackson is back, y’all. Well, she never really left. Just before she released Unbreakable in 2015, Janet promised that anything about her we (as fans) would hear from her.
“I promised you would hear it from my lips. And now you will. This year, new music, new world tour, a new movement. I’ve been listening. Let’s keep the conversation going.”
It was the most in touch she had ever been with her fans, where she previously ignored the majority of her social media (where some accounts didn’t exist to that point) and stayed private. It was a welcome moment for fans who just wanted to be able to hear from her about anything. We listened and saw a lot after that, from Janet herself.
In August 2015, Janet embarked on the Unbreakable World Tour, which lasted until March 2016. Then life took over. Janet canceled the European dates of the tour, citing doctor’s orders. Janet discovered she was pregnant with her first child by her third husband, Wissam al Mana. Likely because of her age, her physician ordered her to bed rest for the whole of her pregnancy. She asked fans to understand.
“Please, if you can try and understand that it’s important that I do this now. I have to rest up, doctor’s orders. But I have not forgotten about you. I will continue the tour as soon as I possibly can.”
On January 3, 2017, she gave birth to son Eissa Al Mana. She took a year to recoup after giving birth, and also found the strength to get divorced from Al Mana (who she married in 2012). Rumors had circulated — fueled by brother Randy Jackson — of verbal and emotional abuse. In a September 2017 USA Today interview, Randy said, Wissam and Janet’s marriage was “quite an abusive situation.” He continued, “No pregnant woman needs to go through being called a bitch every day.” However, after that, it was reported that Randy was overstepping his bounds, trying to control Janet’s moves. (Look it up, it’s a little gossipy.) I’ve no doubt Janet, being Janet, stood up and dusted all the men in her life, refocusing on her career and being a mother.
By September 2017, she was single and back on the road, as promised. The rebooted tour was renamed the State of the World Tour and lasted eighteen months. Weeks after, she signed up for a residency at the Park Theater in Las Vegas for Janet Jackson: Metamorphosis. All shows were sold out, making her the 5th highest average gross in a Las Vegas Residency opening run by a female artist. Weeks after that, she toured Oceania, and three dates in the U.S., for Janet Jackson: A Special 30th Anniversary Celebration of Rhythm Nation. It was an extension of her Vegas show, which highlighted the Rhythm Nation album and replicated its tour sets. It was November 2019 that the tour ended in Hawaii, a favorite city to end her tours.
Janet remained low key, posting occasional videos or photos to her social media, always staying in touch with fans. Her appearances at award shows, playing festivals or just hanging with friends peppers her Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Every comment was loving, endearing, and full of love from fans to Janet.
Then, she dropped a bomb, one we all wanted but didn’t know we needed. “Surprise 😘 2/10 #FallonTonight” read the message. We collectively lost our minds. But what was the appearance about? Would she be releasing new music soon, performing a new song? Announcing something bigger?
When Janet sat down for an interview with Fallon, she gave us all the feels. The Queen showed up dressed in black leather pants, with a cut sleeve blazer, braided hair in a ponytail, a sexy bustier, and heels that even Gaga would… well, gag for. Her angular hoop earrings harken back late 80s hip-hop girl group days. Her style was sexy sophistication meets street smart diva. She talked about her first visit to Minneapolis and getting tipsy off Brandy Alexander ice cream. When asked about her favorite lyric or a line, people quote back to her, it’s “Miss Jackson if you’re nasty.” “I get it from everyone. It doesn’t matter…entertainers. Everyone.” She confessed she didn’t know the line would become so iconic. The genesis of the story was Janet and a friend going to a dance class. As they walked to class, a group of guys whistled catcalls at them. Janet said she was distraught by it, latter relaying the story to producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. From that, the song was born.
Roots drummer Questlove asked about the key earring Janet was famous for wearing. “Where is it now?” Janet surmised it’s likely in her storage. Quest also asked about the chair routine at the end of the “Miss You Much” video, and how long it took to get it right. I’m surprised Quest didn’t know this unless he was just posing a question for the sake of it. We’ve heard the story. Janet has explained how they took about three days to film “Miss You Much” for the long-form Rhythm Nation 1814 video. They were on day two of “Miss You Much,” delirious and tired. The dancers were snacking on pancakes trying to stay awake. (Although, eating after being away for twenty-three hours straight would seem to be counterproductive.) The director called for another take. It was a last-ditch effort before everyone passed out from exhaustion. But they finally got the shot. It’s not hard to understand the overt exuberance of the dancers in the video. And the behind-the-scenes shot shows the same level of exhausted joy from director Dominic Sena.
When asked if he was musical, she said, “Are you kiddin’?” Janet said her son loves classical music. He gravitated toward carrying a violin to school at age two. He came home and wanted to play the cello. Janet’s assistant taped a straw to the bottom of the violin, and he was happy that he had a faux-cello, but now he is taking actual cello lessons. Although, at three years old, one wonders how far he’s getting. I hope she’s stocked up on earplugs and white noise machines.
Janet confirmed she has a new album coming, titled Black Diamond. Some of its songs will be performed on the tour. (It’s a very Beyonce move.) She reiterated on her Instagram post about being the most hardened diamond to cut and hard to destroy. She added, “In recent years, I’ve come to realize that I’m incredibly strong. I see myself as this rock, rough around the edges. I just wanna share some of my strengths and stories.” When asked about the special “Rhythm Nation” performance, she said, “you’ll have to come and see.” She said the released dates are just the start, and more will be added.
“Whatever stress, troubles in their life, for those two hours just to leave them all behind and hopefully they’ll have a good time,” she said, hopeful of a fan’s experience at her concerts.
As always, she was personable, fun, open, and honest. Fallon’s questions were staged and well-rehearsed. Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking it’s an off-the-cuff interview. Managers and publicists get involved with the show’s producers, staging questions, and hitting key points the talent wants to highlight and talk about.
Backing up a step, we got the news of the tour before Fallon even aired.
“Hey U Guys! I’ve heard all your wishes and now from my lips to your ears. I’m working on my new album and going on a brand new World Tour this summer! Both titled ✨ “Black Diamond.” ✨
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Black Diamonds are the toughest of all the diamonds, the hardest to cut. I see that as the hardest to hurt or destroy. There is a lot that I have endured. I see myself as a Black Diamond in its purest form. I’m a rock, I have ruff edges, but I keep moving forward. I want to show you my strength as well as give you strength.
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I love u guys so much, and I’m #SoExcited to share this new era with you. See u soon! #BlackDiamond 🖤💎🍓😘
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A special pre-sale code will be sent ONLY to my mailing list subscribers tomorrow, Feb. 11! Click link in bio to sign-up for my mailing list on my website 🤗 Tickets go on-sale to the general public on February 13 at 12 pm!
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👉🏾 European & Additional World Dates To Be Announced!.”
So what can we expect to see on the tour, which will launch June 24 in Miami?
Janet’s Vegas show was one of the most different shows I’d ever seen of Janet’s. It started with a deep cut track, “Empty,” from The Velvet Rope. She was lowered to the stage on her astrology symbol, the Taurus. She launched into medleys of songs (a format she’s used for a decade) that covered her hits and other non-singles. I would hope that she stayed in the area of taking songs that aren’t readily known by the public and using them in new ways to tell a story. She’s touched on this idea before. On the Number Ones: Up Close & Personal Tour in 2011, she sang, “When We Oooo,” a song she’d never sung on tour. On the Rock Witchu Tour, she pulled out songs from her often-overlooked first two records, Janet Jackson and Dream Street. like “Young Love,” “Say You Do,” and “Love Don’t Stand A Chance.” During the Unbreakable World Tour, she pulled out “What About,” a song about domestic abuse that she’d not performed since The Velvet Rope Tour. When the song was over, she said, “This was me, y’all,” before exiting the stage in darkness. It was no doubt a nod to her divorce and her brother Randy’s accusations against Al Mana. During State Of The World, she also performed “New Agenda,” “The Knowledge,” “State of the World,” “Skin Game” (a rare b-side about race), “Where Are You Now,” and “Someone To Call My Lover.” These songs have been performed before, but only on the tours directly related to the albums that they appeared on. She’s also played, for the first time, one of the two new songs on Design Of A Decade, “Twenty Foreplay.”
It seems Janet isn’t afraid to forego longer version of her hits, playing “Nasty” for the gazillionth time, and playing a rare treat for fans, freshening up her show. Janet is a living legend, but she’s far too early in her career to be just a “greatest hits” act. While we don’t mind hearing “Control” again, it’d be nice to hear something rare like “He Doesn’t Know I’m Alive,” “Lonely,” “Whoops Now” (a janet. bonus track often reserved for European dates), “My Need,” “Better Days,” “Just A Little While,” or the banger “Free Xone.” The tour promises to see Janet as we’ve never seen her before. That could mean anything, but I hope it’s more than new video montages and greatest hits medleys. She has a lot to talk about, given all the aforementioned ups and downs in her life. I would love to see Black Diamond’s material really used to form a solid storyline, peppered with relevant hits from her past to push the narrative. Even Prince skipped playing “Purple Rain” for a while. While no one in their right mind would compare Janet to Madonna, I will give Madge props for always formatting her tours into four or five sections, each one having new and older music and a specific visual aesthetic (either in costumes, colors, visuals, etc). Madge goes beyond a costume change and combing out her hair. It’s a stage reset between sections. Janet dipped into this on the Number Ones: Up Close and Personal Tour, but hasn’t made as hard of a line with the idea before or after. It would be a fresh and interesting approach for her.
I could take guesses all day, but I would think with a February announcement, that the album could see a May release. If that’s true, we should have a single sometime in March with a six-week lead up to the album. May would be a good album release month since it’s Ms. Janet’s birthday month. If the tour starts in June, it’s a fair assessment that the album will be out well before then. Fingers crossed.
Whatever the album and tour come to be, Janet’s mid-life energy on stage far exceeds her peers. She’s never been known to walk her way through a tour. She’s stayed resilient, yet equally vulnerable, through the public trials in her life, battling domestic abuse, depression, and weight issues. It’s said that if we were a pitcher, and were damaged, the only way people would see our light is through the cracks. Janet’s light is about to shine in a whole new way.
Later, Janet recorded a song with Fallon and the Roots, using classroom instruments. It’s a bit Fallon does with a lot of the music guests, and it’s online-only content, not intended for the regular broadcast. Here is Janet and the crew singing “Runaway.” Even sitting and singing with toys, Janet’s voice is as solid as its ever been.
Ernest Sewell was born & raised in Oklahoma. After living across the U.S. in places like Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis, he’s settled in upstate New York for the past twenty years. He’s authored and published two books and is working on a smattering of new material, including a new horror novel. He shares his home with a friend, three cats, and his vinyl collection, all of whom have the same level of love from him. When he’s not causing an uproar on Prince forums or social media, he enjoys reads (a lot), trying new recipes, and prank calling people.
“Don’t take yourself too seriously. No one else does.”
