Janet's Interview w/ SOHH

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Via the Grape Juice:

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Our good friends over at SOHH were fortunate enough to have the rare opportunity of interviewing Pop superstar Janet Jackson. For all those wondering about the status of the 'Discipline' album, read on....(it's not good):

I had the pleasure of interviewing Janet Jackson yesterday as part of a teleconference with a select few fellow bloggers... And I'm sorry to tell you guys this but it's looking like the label is not planning to allow any more singles from Discipline to be released.

Here's what Janet had to say when I asked her what her next single would be:

"That’s pretty difficult to say, only because of the record label at this point. We started off with “Feedback” and the label and myself haven’t quite seen eye to eye since the "Feedback" single so they’ve kind of basically stopped all promotion. I’m trying to figure out a way to say this, but just to say it and to be quite honest, they just stopped all promotion whatsoever on the album so I don’t think you’re going to hear another single off this album."

Damn. What is going over there at Island???

She also revealed some details about her upcoming "Rock Witchu Tour":

"It’s a completely different show, like nothing before in the past. My real goal is to try and do every single I’ve ever had... so I have to figure out how to fit that into two hours and yet give them enough so they don’t feel hungry for more of that song in particular."

As for why she chose to title the tour after her song "Rock Wit U":

"It’s fitting to me, fitting to what the show will be like. It’s a dance show, it’s all upbeat I want it to be a party onstage, a party in the arena. I’ve always said when people come to these shows I want them to forget about all their problems all the drama in their lives and just have a good time, just let it go for a couple hours and bring some happiness into their lives. It’s going to be one big party, I want to 'Rock Witchu.'"

Last but not least Janet wanted to make sure fans know she has been keeping up with the internet talk about her not making to Europe to promote Discipline:

"I just want to let the fans know because I’ve been reading a lot what the bloggers have been saying about the record and not hearing it on the radio and stuff like that, so I just wanted to let them know where things were as well and where it was all coming from. I’ve heard people talking about me not coming to Europe in support of the record just to let them know that it was definitely in my heart to go to Europe and to support this album but it’s about teamwork, it’s not something I can totally do on my own. Unfortunately things have turned out the way that they have with the differences between the label and myself, which we have been having for the most part from the beginning. So I just want to tell them again thank you very much for all the love and all the support and I they understand the entire situation and I’m really excited to see everybody on tour. I’m really looking forward to that it’s going to be a lot of fun."

Interesting. Your thoughts?
 
this is a new label with her boyfriend one of the execs in the drivers seat.... so in her case.. she needs to stop blaming the label and wake up to the fact that the album was not good..

the label did the intial promo to push the single and they are looking for a return...Feedback didn't go anywhere despite the promo by Janet herself on many TV shows and every mag ....

the single nor the album didn't take off and if it doesn't in the 1st month.. thats it.. pretty much .. no record company is going to keep throwing money down the drain...

Janet.. at 40+... stop whispering...put more effort into opening up your cords and sing...
 
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It's an age thing with Janet, unfortunately. She doesn't have the talent to last. A lot of her success came from fun songs and an at first cutsy image, turned sex symbol. Now that she's middle aged, people aren't going to be looking at her in the same way. They can't see her as that fun, cute, sexy girl that you can boggie down with or lust after. They see her as a 40 year old woman, and without much talent in the bank, she can't get passed that surface appeal, because that's all there really is to her.

Now I'm going to run away from this thread while I get verbally assaulted by the Janet fans...
 
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Absolutely none of this is surprising to me at all!

If there was any doubt, unfortunately the Supebowl dealt Janet a major blow! loss of support from the video stations especially MTV and radio ignoring her songs, made things even more damaging for her career. Her last two albums with Virgin underperformed.

Her move to Island started off with great hope and praise from L.A. Reid, but what happened after that? 'Feedback' is released to less than enthusiastic support from radio, the video itself was just not happening and shortly after that, Janet was nowhere to be seen citing illness. it was then evident to me that something was up. Releasing 'RWU' as the next single solidified that feeling for me 'cause I was like, 'why was this song choosen for the next single?' its not a radio friendly track! and again another dark video by the same director, nothing interesting about it either.

To now hear that artist and label have not been seeing eye to eye, comes as no surprise to me having read this. This album to me was just not happening, she allowed others to write this album and I think that was a very big mistake on her part, as though see was relying on the 'hot' producers of the day to give her some hot tracks.

If you visit the Janet forums you will see people saying how successful this album has been, it has'nt. Todays' music industry is all about record sales like never before, and if an artist does'nt perform like expected then said label is'nt gonna waste time and money on said artist, they'll just move on quickly and cut their losses. Its sad but thats the way it is. Janet is just not connecting with the masses anymore, the half-naked shots and talk about sex, sex, sex, was just too much. I wonder if this was just a one album deal or if she'll have to buy out her contract?
 
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actually feedback was was top 20 hit here. top ten in Canada and Japan . so I wouldn't exactly said it did nothing. it wasn't released in europe for whatever reason and I think that's she was talking about.

and secondly I don't think Janet is blaming anyone she just said they don't agree on the second single which was rock with u , and bascially started having problems after that.

and let's be honest it's not like they rolled out the welcome mat for her, if you look at the promotion and marketing for Janet and than look at Marah's you would of never know they were on same lable. and the fact that never released contract information, kinda of was hint that she wasn't going to be there long anyway. It wouldn't surpsise me if she signed up with livenation.
 
The point is this album will not at the end of the year be platinum, so it will have been deemed a failure by the record company.

The sex-laiden songs and image is not working for Janet anymore, and that can't all there is to her as a person and an artist.

Luckily for her, she still does well touring, so I wish her luck on that.
 
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that album is artistically the best she's done since TVR. just goes to show how much image, marketing and PR are tredding all over creativity.
 
Janet.. at 40+... stop whispering...put more effort into opening up your cords and sing...
that's like telling Mike to stop singing falsetto or, god forbid, criticising Break Of Dawn at his age (and no i am not comparing the two). it's who she is and what she is known for - if you don't like it now then you probably didn't like it before. either that or ageism/sexism is coming into play.

and wbss, you don't have to be an expert to tell she isn't gifted with the greatest voice. but when you get some classic tunes that no one else could have created nor delivered with her impact, then that is a greater talent in itself. (see Ms. Spears for contrast)

Feedback is a good album. and if we have some relativity, then it's a bloody masterpiece.
 
I didn't say she was talentless. Her strongest talent is her charisma. But that will only take you so far if you don't know how to continue to apply it, with her being weak in all other areas. She needs to drop the whole sex image thing because with people running around half her age, offering the same thing, who's gonna take her? It's not fair, but that's how it is.
 
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Janet truly is over sexualised, she seemed to have something else to talk about at the time, but now she is all about sex, whether it is an interview or a song. Sexuality is needed in this inustry, I agree, but i feel like back in a day she had something else to talk about, and that actually made her a star.
 
so shes not coming to europe :( anyway i wish her the best of luck in her upcoming tour. janet is very talented and imo a wonderful artist and her new album rocks!!!! maybe i'll be able to make it on one of these shows. i'll see what happens....
 
Janet is too old to be singing about sex and posing half naked in videos and magazines. Janet's music is no longer believable. I liked her older music from "Control" and "Rhythm Nation" because I could relate to it. Back then, she sang about a variety of subjects and had a "sweet" image. Although she was not the greatest singer, people still bought her albums. Also, you could actually hear what she was singing. Today, however, her music is only about one thing...the s word. The pictures that she takes and the videos that she makes portray her as a whispering, middle aged, nympho. It is repulsive. Younger people would rather listen to the younger artists if they wanted to hear that kind of stuff. I would suggest that she tone down her image, get vocal lessons so that she can expand her range, and stop singing about sex.
 
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actually feedback was was top 20 hit here. top ten in Canada and Japan . so I wouldn't exactly said it did nothing. it wasn't released in europe for whatever reason and I think that's she was talking about.

and secondly I don't think Janet is blaming anyone she just said they don't agree on the second single which was rock with u , and bascially started having problems after that.

and let's be honest it's not like they rolled out the welcome mat for her, if you look at the promotion and marketing for Janet and than look at Marah's you would of never know they were on same lable. and the fact that never released contract information, kinda of was hint that she wasn't going to be there long anyway. It wouldn't surpsise me if she signed up with livenation.
Janets album was released in europe. it tanked.
 
Via the Grape Juice:

http://www.thatgrapejuice.net/

couple hours and bring some happiness into their lives. It’s going to be one big party, I want to 'Rock Witchu.'"

"I just want to let the fans know because I’ve been reading a lot what the bloggers have been saying about the record and not hearing it on the radio and stuff like that, so I just wanted to let them know where things were as well and where it was all coming from. I’ve heard people talking about me not coming to Europe in support of the record just to let them know that it was definitely in my heart to go to Europe and to support this album but it’s about teamwork, it’s not something I can totally do on my own. Unfortunately things have turned out the way that they have with the differences between the label and myself, which we have been having for the most part from the beginning. So I just want to tell them again thank you very much for all the love and all the support and I they understand the entire situation and I’m really excited to see everybody on tour. I’m really looking forward to that it’s going to be a lot of fun."

This is indeed interesting. Thanks. I would love to see her in euope. Feedback was released in Germany btw.
It's sad that she isn't happy with the new label, and somehow she seems not that carefree.

To say her videos were not that good is, compared to other so-called-artist s (who must not be named, cause they were played it seems 24 hours per day on musictelevision), not right. On the TV screen Rock wit u looked very professional (unfortunately I've seen it just one time on tv) and Feedback was never played. That is the problem. The video can be good, but it's worthless when no one shows it. They prefer to show crap. PR leads to success, not talent, after my observations. Sad but true.
 
This is indeed interesting. Thanks. I would love to see her in euope. Feedback was released in Germany btw.
It's sad that she isn't happy with the new label, and somehow she seems not that carefree.

To say her videos were not that good is, compared to other so-called-artist s (who must not be named, cause they were played it seems 24 hours per day on musictelevision), not right. On the TV screen Rock wit u looked very professional (unfortunately I've seen it just one time on tv) and Feedback was never played. That is the problem. The video can be good, but it's worthless when no one shows it. They prefer to show crap. PR leads to success, not talent, after my observations. Sad but true.

Janet should never have named her song rockwityou. That song is a landmark song for Michael, An entire generation of people danced to MJ's Rock with you. It is part of many's psychy. For Janet to name her song after such an epic song was doomed to failure from the start. Instead of people focussing on her song., they are asking her why she named the song after her brothers song. I can't believe she thought people would have concentrated on her song.
It may sound petty, but that is the way it is. People do not like to have things messed around like that. The song was always going to fail. Now she is naming her tour after the song. Why, Janret? I wish her all the luck.:doh:
 
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Most stars sing about the s word. That is a "problem" in general. If she has to stop that just cause she is 40, well... that should not be the reason. She looks so much younger than Madonna looked at her age, and she looks not older than younger stars. Yes, there are more important things she could and should sing about, absolutely right, but if you want her to sing about different subjects, then why only Janet and never the others? Obviously there IS a market for that subject.
 
Most stars sing about the s word. That is a "problem" in general. If she has to stop that just cause she is 40, well... that should not be the reason. She looks so much younger than Madonna looked at her age, and she looks not older than younger stars. Yes, there are more important things she could and should sing about, absolutely right, but if you want her to sing about different subjects, then why only Janet and never the others? Obviously there IS a market for that subject.

The problem with Janet is that it is not working for her. When Madonna came on the scene, everybody knew what she represented. She has not deviated from that.
Unfortunately, Janet came on the scene as someone who talk about issues. She was pristine. She changed. She is asking her audience to change with her and they are telling her no. She needs now to draw new fans but she is drawing from a pool of fans of other artist, but they are not coming. She was a total failure here in britain. Her music didn't even reach the top 40. Young people are not interested in what she is offering.
She may have to go back to where she started in order to win back her fans. She is just not selling records.
 
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I don't care about how she named the song. Rihanna's new song called "take a bow" turns out to be a huge success although the media don't hesitate to remember the public who else has had songs with that name.
 
I don't care about how she named the song. Rihanna's new song called "take a bow" turns out to be a huge success although the media don't hesitate to remember the public who else has had songs with that name.

It is different when the person is your brother and a famous one at that. MJ changed the title of a song because it was the same as Elvis's iconic song. It does matter in the music industry when 2 superstars go up against each other. Imagine if Janet had named her album Thrilla. It would have looked stupid. When that artist named his album thrilla, he said it was in honour of MJ. Janet should have said the same thing and people might have taken her more seriously, but to name the song the same as her brothers epic song, and not even want to talk about it, seems abit funny to me. She should have said she was paying respect to him with the song. Janet sounds very depressed to me.
 
to quote madonna:

"Not only do we suffer from racism and sexism, but we also suffer from ageism. Once you reach a certain age you're not allowed to be adventurous, you're not allowed to be sexual, I mean is there a rule? Are you supposed to just die when you're 40?"

so what if janet is 40 and sings about sex ? age is nothing but a number. what counts is how old someone looks and feels. janet doesnt feel or look more than 25. shes a mature 40 year old woman whos sexy as hell and all those 20 year old artists cant even be compared to her.

datsymay, while i respect ur opinion about janet i think u need to stop coming on threads related to her and complain about this and that. i think we all get it that u dont like her or her music. u post on every janet thread and diss her about the same stuff. shes too old to talk about sex, she only talks about sex, she named one of her songs rock with u etc etc i think u need to stop.
constantly repeating the same stuff is boring and doesnt get u anywhere. :flowers:
just let her be please.
 
It is different when the person is your brother and a famous one at that. MJ changed the title of a song because it was the same as Elvis's iconic song. It does matter in the music industry when 2 superstars go up against each other. Imagine if Janet had named her album Thrilla. It would have looked stupid. When that artist named his album thrilla, he said it was in honour of MJ. Janet should have said the same thing and people might have taken her more seriously, but to name the song the same as her brothers epic song, and not even want to talk about it, seems abit funny to me. She should have said she was paying respect to him with the song. Janet sounds very depressed to me.

depressed because she named one of her songs the same as her brothers song ? wow
 
to quote madonna:

"Not only do we suffer from racism and sexism, but we also suffer from ageism. Once you reach a certain age you're not allowed to be adventurous, you're not allowed to be sexual, I mean is there a rule? Are you supposed to just die when you're 40?"

so what if janet is 40 and sings about sex ? age is nothing but a number. what counts is how old someone looks and feels. janet doesnt feel or look more than 25. shes a mature 40 year old woman whos sexy as hell and all those 20 year old artists cant even be compared to her.

datsymay, while i respect ur opinion about janet i think u need to stop coming on threads related to her and complain about this and that. i think we all get it that u dont like her or her music. u post on every janet thread and diss her about the same stuff. shes too old to talk about sex, she only talks about sex, she named one of her songs rock with u etc etc i think u need to stop.
constantly repeating the same stuff is boring and doesnt get u anywhere. :flowers:
just let her be please.

No I will not stop coming to threads relationg to her. I am not breaking any rules. Let me have my say just like yopu. I talk about her musdic, not who she sleeps with. She is also a Jackson and I speak about all of them. You can put me on ignore iff you don't like what I am saying, just as I will you if I don't want to hear what you are saying. This is a discussion board. Not everything we hear is going to be to our liking, but let people have their say.:yes:
You have no reason to say I don't like Janet. I should be the one to say that not you. You do not know my mind. I think it was a big mistake naming her song after MJ's iconic song because she drew attention away from the song and to MJ., People keep on asking her about it. It was not very clever and it seems to have backfired. Where did I bash Janet, Roxanne?
 
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Most stars sing about the s word. That is a "problem" in general. If she has to stop that just cause she is 40, well... that should not be the reason. She looks so much younger than Madonna looked at her age, and she looks not older than younger stars. Yes, there are more important things she could and should sing about, absolutely right, but if you want her to sing about different subjects, then why only Janet and never the others? Obviously there IS a market for that subject.



there always was a market for that subject. it is not the point.
Sex is important in this industry it is a part of entartaining? but people do sing about other stuff too. and she used to? but now she doesn't want to do this anymore.
 
there always was a market for that subject. it is not the point.
Sex is important in this industry it is a part of entartaining? but people do sing about other stuff too. and she used to? but now she doesn't want to do this anymore.

Janet can sing about as much sex as she likes, nobody is stopping her, but at the end of the day, if nobody is buying it, she may as well be singing to herself. That is the major problem she is having. it is not selling. Also, the man that she is singing about, is not very sexy at all, sorry folks, but JD is not giving young people something to imaginge when janet is singing about it. Maybe janet fans would like her to sing more meaningful songs as they have now grown up and have other matters on their minds than sex.
 
Fine. You do agree with me at that point. As I said before It has nothing to do with age. Everybody is allowed to sing about that subject, except a Jackson. As long it is OK with the media, the public will swallow it. Not WHAT someone does counts, it is important WHO does something.

Of course no one listens to Janet, cause we do not hear her at radio, or see her on tv. That is a shame. As I said, without support of the media (and label), no success.
 
I didn't say she was talentless. Her strongest talent is her charisma. But that will only take you so far if you don't know how to continue to apply it, with her being weak in all other areas. She needs to drop the whole sex image thing because with people running around half her age, offering the same thing, who's gonna take her? It's not fair, but that's how it is.
i'm gobsmacked at how most keep going on about the sex image when my only interest in Janet arose from just good music, writing and coproductions that wouldn't have come to fruition with anyone else.

you say it's unfair, so you acknowledge that there is no problem in her singing about this stuff at her age - which i agree with, since Mike done the same. but your criticisms are of how she succeeds in a business that you know very well is already at a creative blunder. she's been doing this for a long time and shouldn't have to change to suit the labels' idea of what the 'masses' want - this is part of the real problem of today's business, imo. this is also part of who she is - should Mike stop singing about injustice, children and world peace just because most aren't interested in hearing it?

it's too superficial to only look at image and how artists market themselves (and hence how they succeed financially). she is more than that and surprised me with her new album because of how good it turned out to be compared to her previous artistic and commercial flops in the last decade.
 
I guess she is making the music that she feels she wants to make, which is probably the best way to make music. Its hard to make other ppl believe in it if you dont like it or believe it yourself.
She's probably singing what she likes and wants to sing. Whether or not it sells a billion copies is another story. If she chooses to make different music, then fine.
 
This is bascially kinda like the situation Kelly clarkson had with her lable. Janet wants more creative control with her prijects, and bascially that's why she's unhappy with her lables, but I think this is just how the music industry is becomming
 
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