Janet Jackson Biography: her relationship with Michael Jackson, her songs, and more

Janet Jackson rose to stardom alongside her family in the 70s on the variety show The Jacksons. This American singer, dancer, and actress has had an incredible career that includes five Grammy Awards, eleven American Music Awards, eleven Billboard Music Awards, a star on the walk of fame, and over 100 million albums sold.

Who is Janet Jackson?

On May 16, 1966, Janet Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana. Her full name is Janet Damita Jo Jackson.

Janet Jackson is the youngest of the Jackson children. There are ten children altogether.

Janet Jackson’s net worth

Janet Jackson’s net worth $190 million thanks to her singing, acting, choreography, and producing skills.

Where does Janet Jackson live?

Janet Jackson’s house is a 4,636 square feet home in Henderson, Nevada. Janet bought her family’s home in 2002, and it is a two-story single-family home about 16 miles from Las Vegas.

Who is Janet Jackson’s Husband?

Janet Jackson is currently separated from her husband, Wissam Al Mana. The couple has been separated since 2017 but has not finalized their divorce.

Janet Jackson met Wissam Al Mana in 2010, and they wed in 2012. They kept their wedding private for a year. In 2016, Janet Jackson announced they were expecting their first child.

A few months after giving birth to Eissa, their son, the couple announced that they had separated.

Janet Jackson’s Ex-Husbands and Boyfriends

Janet Jackson has been married two times previously.

At the young age of 18, Janet Jackson married James Debarge in September of 1984. The marriage ended in annulment in November 1985.

In 1987, Janet Jackson and Rene Elizondo Jr started dating, and the couple married on March 31, 1991.

The lovebirds were extremely private about their relationship, and it was not made public until they split up in January 1999, with the divorce being finalized in 2000.

The separation from her second husband was a drawn-out, bitter affair that lasted three years. During that time, Rene filed a lawsuit against Janet for a sum between $10-$25 million.

Two years later, Janet began a long-term relationship with Jermaine Dupri that lasted until 2009.

How many kids does Janet Jackson have?

Janet Jackson only has one child.

There were rumors in the 80s that she and her then-husband, James DeBarge, had a child in secret. In Janet’s documentary series released earlier this year, she finally addresses the rumors, saying that they were not true.

She speculated that the rumors were fueled by the weight she gained when she started taking the birth control pill.

Janet Jackson’s kids

Janet Jackson and her husband, Wissam Al Mana, welcomed their son into the world on January 3, 2017.

Janet’s son’s name is Eissa Al Mana, and Janet gave birth to him at the age of 50.

Where is Janet Jackson from?

Janet Jackson is from Gary, Indiana.

Where did Janet Jackson grow up?

Janet Jackson was born and raised in the town of Gary, Indiana. She was raised a devout Jehovah Witness.

The town of Gary, Indiana, was booming in the sixties when Janet was born. It was an industrial city founded by the steel giant U.S. Steel Company.

The town has since declined and is no longer the beautiful, bustling town where Janet and her family were raised.

Janet Jackson’s Background: The Jackson Family

The Jackson family is the most well-known family in music history. They have topped the charts as a family band in addition to individual members topping charts with their solo careers.

Joe and Katherine Jackson had ten children, one of whom sadly passed away after being born. The ten children that make up the Jackson family are:

• Maureen Reillette, aka Rebbie. Born May 29, 1950
• Sigmund Esco aka Jackie. Born May 4, 1951
• Toriano Adaryll aka Tito. Born October 15, 1953
• Jermaine La Jaune. Born December 11, 1954
• LaToya Yvonne. Born May 29, 1956
• Marion David. Born March 12, 1957
• Born March 12, 1957 (Passed away shortly after birth)
• Michael Joseph. Born August 29, 1958 to June 25, 2009
• Steven Randall, aka Randy. Born Oct29, 1961
• Janet Damita Jo. Born May 16, 1966

The Jacksons had humble roots growing up in Gary, Indiana. Katherine raised her children as Jehovah Witness’s, and Joe was said to be very strict and authoritarian.

Joe discovered that his children were musically inclined at a young age and decided to start a family band, which he hoped may be the ticket out of a hard, working-class life.

Joe became the group’s manager, started booking them for gigs, and sought opportunities to get them in front of the right people.

The Jackson kids were kept on strict schedules for practicing their instruments, dancing, and singing.

It didn’t take very long before they were noticed and became the sensation that the world now knows.

The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5 was a one-of-a-kind pop sensation. The group consisted of the Jackson kids:

• Sigmund Jackson aka Jackie
• Toriano Jackson aka Tito
• Jermaine
• Marion
• Michael

The group won a local competition in 1966, where Michael sang a cover of the Temptation’s “My Girl.”

In 1967, the group won another talent competition at the Apollo Competition. This competition was significant, earning them a fan in Gladys Knight.

The group opened for Diana Ross in 1969 and then released their debut album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, in December of that same year.

The first single the Jackson 5 released, “I Want You Back,” became an instant hit and catapulted the young Jacksons into the spotlight.

Their following singles, “ABC” and “The Love You Save,” were just as successful, proving the sibling group was not a one-hit-wonder.

The group eventually left Motown Records and signed a contract with Epic Records, at which point they changed the group name to the Jacksons.

At this time, Jermaine left the group to continue his career with Motown Records, and Randy Jackson took his place.

Over the years, as the Jackson 5 and the Jacksons, they released several albums and won countless awards, including three Grammy Awards, four NAACP Image Awards, a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, and in 1997 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson’s Relationship

Growing up, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson had a close relationship despite the large age gap between them.

In Janet’s recently released documentary, she talks about how Michael would tease her, as big brothers do, but it was all in good fun at the time.

A lot of Michael’s teasing revolved around Janet’s weight, and a young Janet internalized those names. Janet has had many struggles over the years with her weight.

The two were close up until Michael released his first solo album Thriller. It was then that Janet felt a change happen in their relationship, and the siblings were no longer close after that.

When Michael found himself on the wrong side of some serious accusations, Janet also found her career was being affected.

Janet said it was frustrating that she was being punished for what was happening with her brother.

Janet was set to sign one of the biggest deals in Coca-Cola history, but the company backed out amid the accusations against her brother.

Janet and Michael did record a song together, “Scream.” Janet had hopes that the experience would bring them back together, but she was disappointed with the experience.

The two filmed the music video for “Scream,” but they filmed separately and were blocked off from one another.

Janet also talked about trying to help Michael through his addiction, but he refused any help. His refusal left Janet very upset.

Michael passed away in 2009, and Janet has continued to honor her brother.

Janet has maintained a close relationship with Michael’s kids Prince Jackson, Paris Jackson, and Blanket Jackson.

Janet Jackson’s Early Career

When Janet was just seven years old, she performed alongside her older brother Randy doing a TV skit. Shortly after that, she would perform with her siblings on the Las Vegas Strip at the MGM Casino.

Janet started acting in various TV shows at the age of eleven, including roles on shows such as:

• Good Times
• A New Kind of Family
• Diff’rent Strokes
• Fame

At sixteen, Janet’s father and manager arranged a contract with A&M Records to record solo albums. Janet’s self-titled debut album was released in 1982.

Janet has released eleven solo albums over the course of four decades.

• Janet Jackson – 1982
• Dream Street – 1984
• Control – 1986
• Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1813 – 1989
• Janet – 1993
• The Velvet Rope – 1997
• All For You – 2001
• Damita Jo – 2004
• 20 Y.O. – 2006
• Discipline – 2008
• Unbreakable – 2015

What was Janet Jackson’s biggest hit song?

Janet Jackson is one of the biggest icons in the music industry. One of her biggest hits was in 1993 with “That’s the Way Love Goes.” The single from her album Janet went platinum and landed in the fourth spot on the Billboard Hot 100 list. Janet sold over three million copies of the album and won a Grammy for Best R&B Song.

Janet Jackson songs

“Again” (1993) Composed for the movie Poetic Justice, this song had a Golden Globe nomination as well as Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

“When I Think of You”(1986) Janet’s first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. She was only twenty at the time.

“All for You”(2000) This single remained on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for seven weeks and was her tenth song to land on the list. It also earned Janet an ASCAP award for song of the year and a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.

“Miss You So Much” (1989) Landing on the Billboard Hot 100 top spot for four weeks and going platinum, this was a big hit for Janet Jackson.

“Rhythm Nation 1814” (1989) Janet received several awards for this song, including two BMI Pop Awards for Songwriter of the Year and Most Played Song, a Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video, and a Billboard Award for Top Dance Single.

“Control” (1986) This single pitted Janet against Michael for the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Music Video. Janet took the award home.

“Love Will Never Do Without You” (1990) Janet’s fifth number one hit to land on the Billboard Hot 100

Janet Jackson documentary

The recently released Janet Jackson two-part documentary looks behind the curtains at one of the most private celebrities.

Part one aired on January 28, 2022, which happens to be the 40th anniversary of Janet’s self-titled debut album. The documentary is available on A&E and Lifetime networks and features interviews with celebrities like Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, and Janelle Monae.

Janet Jackson also discusses the 2004 wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl while she was performing with Justin Timberlake.

The songstress addresses many rumors that have developed over the years and her relationship with her brother Michael Jackson.

Janet Jackson has been quoted as saying, “This is my story, told by me. Not through someone else’s eye,” about the documentary.