Janet Jackson first made a name for herself on sitcoms like Good Times and Diff'rent Strokes. However, when she burst onto the music scene with "Control," she proved she could be successful without riding the coattails of her famous family.
"Rhythm Nation" further cemented Jackson's status as an artist with her own message. "Janet" further delved into Jackson's sexuality and provided a more intimate look at the superstar. With "The Velvet Rope," however, Jackson peeled back the curtain even more. She bravely took on a battle with depression and faced painful memories from her past.
The album celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, so what better way to look back on what is arguably the most important album of Jackson's career? This is look at what we learned about Janet Jackson when she unlocked her own velvet rope.
8 Janet Revealed Her Issues With Body Image
Despite being known as a sex symbol, Jackson revealed that she always struggled with her body image. Those issues began when she was playing the role of Penny on the classic sitcom Good Times. Jackson later told a story of how the wardrobe lady bound her chest on the first day of filming. Jackson was only 10 years old. This was partly what set in motion years of body image issues that came to ahead when Jackson was writing "The Velvet Rope."
7 She Touched On Her Own Loneliness And Isolation
A common topic this album touches on is loneliness. On the track "I Get Lonely," Jackson talks about wanting a lover back after a breakup. The song became one of Jackson's biggest hits and remains a fan favorite. This album was also written in the midst of a rough period during the marriage of Jackson and then-husband Rene Elizondo Jr. That may partially explain the loneliness that is present on much of the album.
6 Janet Payed Tribute To Friends Who Died Of AIDS
The issue of AIDS became huge worldwide news in the eighties. There was a lot of misinformation about the virus in the early part of the epidemic. Early reports referred to the illness as "gay cancer" and this gave homophobic people an excuse to unleash their hate. Jackson had many friends with AIDS and a lot of them ended up passing away. On the album, Jackson wrote "Together Again" in tribute to those friends. She said she wanted the song to be happy and reflect their personalities. It remains one of her biggest hits.
5 She Shed A Light On The LGBTQ+ Community
In addition to AIDS, homophobia was another issue Jackson tackled on this album. On the song "Free Xone," Jackson talks about a world where people were free to be themselves regardless of their sexuality. Jackson said the song was inspired by her friends and watching them face discrimination. It follows in the tradition of socially conscious songs in Jackson's catalog. Jackson also flirted with bisexuality on her cover of Rod Stewart's "Tonight's The Night."
4 It Was One Of The First Albums To Discuss Online Communication
In 1997, the internet was still a fairly new phenomenon. Not every household in the United States had access to it. Not everybody could afford it. However, Jackson was already becoming aware of its power. She often used the internet to communicate with her fans way before social media was popular. She also wrote a song on the album called "Empty," which talks about an online relationship. This was way before online dating was common.
3 She Delved Deeper Into Her Own Sexuality
Jackson's own sexuality has always been a theme on her albums. Since "Control," there has always been at least one song that goes in a sensual direction. With her "Janet" album, she came into her own as a sexual being. "The Velvet Rope" took it a step further with songs like "My Need" and "Rope Burn." The latter song mentions the likes of blindfolds and candle wax. Jackson was not shy about expressing herself and the comfort she felt in her womanhood was very empowering.
2 Janet Spoke About Her Own Mental Health Struggles
Jackson previously revealed that during tours for albums like "Rhythm Nation" and "Janet," she would sometimes slip into a depression. Jackson talked about crying in her dressing room before shows. During the writing of "The Velvet Rope," that depression grew even stronger. There were many days Jackson didn't feel like showing up to the studio. Jackson spoke openly about these struggles while promoting the album. This was before it was commonplace for celebrities to open up about their mental health.
1 She Got In Touch With Her Inner Child
Jackson says that a big key to working through her depression and body image was connecting to her inner child. Childhood, Jackson says, was the root of all those struggles. While Jackson lived a life of wealth, she insists that doesn't mean her life was easy. It also didn't protect her from emotional scarring. She is still a human being with feelings. On songs like "Special" and the title track, Jackson sings with a children's choir. On the former track, Jackson sings directly to that inner child. On "God's Stepchild," a bonus track, Jackson goes more into detail about the pain she felt growing up.