Janet Jackson married Wissam Al Mana several years ago. Some people claim that she married him five years ago, but who really knows? Janet is so secretive, I’m surprised we ever learned about this, her second secret marriage. Wissam Al Mana was always a question mark for me and I always just took it on faith that he was A) crazy-rich and B) a somewhat conservative Muslim. During Janet’s pregnancy especially, she seemed to take pains to wear hijabs and stay more covered up in general and there was speculation that she converted to Islam for him. Janet and Wissam welcomed their son Eissa around New Year’s and now it seems like Wissam and Janet are pretty much over each other. Well, maybe she’s over him. Who knows how he feels?
She’s having a marriage malfunction! Just months after giving birth to her first child at age 50, Janet Jackson has split with billionaire husband Wissam Al Mana. While one source said the split is amicable and the couple will co-parent their son, others said trouble had been brewing for months.
“She thought he had become too controlling during the pregnancy and she had already allowed him to dictate her appearance and even the way she performed at concerts,” the source who works closely with the couple said. Other demands that the “Rhythm Nation” singer gave in to included toning down her 2014 concert tour — wearing clothing that covered her body, instead of the skin-revealing outfits fans had grown to love. She also declined to do music videos that featured any bumping and grinding, trademarks of her work, the source said.
“It drove her crazy and she felt she was losing her fan base.”
Jackson also resented the reclusiveness of her husband, who rarely met with her friends or family, the source said. Still, the couple hoped a baby would help. They welcomed their son, Eissa Al Mana, on January 3 after nearly five years of marriage. After much deliberation over whether to have a lavish wedding, Jackson gave in to Al Mana’s demands for a simple and private ceremony, sources said. But Jackson was doing all the compromising — with little give from the younger Al Mana, 41.
Jackson even quietly made London her home after Al Mana insisted the family live under strict Muslim custom, which included prohibiting the new mom from being seen in public while nursing the baby.
The last straw for the thrice married “Control” singer was her husband’s reluctance to show concern for Katherine Jackson’s elder abuse claims against her nephew Trent. Katherine recently returned to Los Angeles after a two month stay in London with Janet.
“That’s when Janet made her decision that there was no turning back,” the source said. “She was worried about her mother — and Wissam showed little to no concern.”
Jackson is believed to be worth $250 million while Al Mana is a billionaire Qatari businessman. The source was not aware of any prenuptial agreement and declined to say whether Jackson would seek spousal or child support.
My guess is that none of this will really be an angle for money. Janet is plenty rich on her own, and I doubt their fights were about money at all, nor do I expect some divorce war to hinge on a financial settlement. No, it sounds like they were just incompatible when it came down to it – he wanted Janet to completely change her life, her work, her home and her faith. And what did he change? Probably nothing. All that being said, there could still be a divorce fight… but it will be about the baby, and custody, and how to raise the kid. Anyway… yeah, I’m surprised. Surprised that we’re even hearing about this!
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
Shouldn’t all of this been discussed before the kid was born?
Some people think love conquers all without realising marriage is a different ball game. In addition, we normal folks also may realise this only after marriage. Not the first and wouldn’t be the last marriage that breaks down due to incompatibility.
I always get so depressed when people have a baby and then break up immediately. It doesn’t give me much hope. It’s like… does having a kid automatically make you like your partner less?
Sleep deprivation makes me like most people less, lol. But these people are so rich, they can afford all the help in the world and probably aren’t especially sleep deprived.
A baby is added stress on the relationship as a whole and on the partners individually. The problem is, very few say it out loud.
People romanticize having a baby, just like they romanticize marriage.
Makes me wonder if it was a band aid baby. That their marriage wasn’t already on the rocks and this was a way to fix it.
No, you don’t automatically like your partner less. If your relationship was solid, it will continue to be solid but if it was rocky to begin with it won’t get any easier.
I don’t know with this news, the image of a controlling muslim man seems a bit too easy. We’ll see how this plays out.
It depends on reasons for having baby in the first place. If it was a bandaid baby or an anchor baby, that’s never a good thing for the relationship.
No it doesn’t but kids will test the strongest of marriages so if you don’t have a strong foundation to begin with a kid will not help. Not the child’s fault but raising a kid is super hard work.
Ya, your partner definitely isn’t “less,” by at the same time, they are no longer the main focus in your life. My husband and I were married for 9 years before we had little mister, and I’m glad we had that base, because with the very poor sleeper we got and 9-10 months of serious sleep deprivation, our marriage was definitely tested.
Having a baby doesn’t automatically make you like your partner less, however having a baby creates a brand new and sometimes highly stressful situation during which you partner may start to act in a way you never expected.
Sometimes people don’t end up being the supportive and caring parent and partner you expected them to be. You could be on the same page entirely prior to the baby being born, but things could pan out very differently afterwards. Add sleep deprivation, post natal depression and the general stresses of looking after an entirely dependent human being, things can be touch-and-go for even the best of marriages
Isn’t this the stuff you figure out BEFORE you’re married? It’s not like he converted afterwards.
And people on twitter are speculating she gets a huge chunk of money for being married 5 years. And they filed just after the 5 year mark.
Yup, I heard the same thing about the money. The truth is some people are never rich enough and a baby guarantees that she will always be rich.
Yep, she stayed in it for the money. Although she is very wealthy, her wealth pales in comparison to his. She waited out the 5 years and popped out an heir too (it was pretty clear why she would go through whatever she had to do — IVF, fertility shots, etc. — to have a kid at 50).
When a women gets pregnant by a billionaire, people always say “but she’s already wealthy in her own right” (ex: Heidi Klum, Linda Evangelista, Elizabeth Hurley, Uma Thurman, etc.) — but our concept of “rich” is not the same as theirs. There is a world of difference between a millionaire and a billionaire.
In Janet’s case, I give her more credit because the baby was something they both apparently wanted, and I think that was the case with Uma Thurman as well. But some other “ladies” (and I use that term loosely) intentionally get pregnant with a man who clearly does not want children with them, to get their hands on money. That leaves their kids with a father who resents them, which is a terrible way to get rich. And don’t get me wrong, I equally blame the fathers — to resent your own child because of how you feel about the mother is a despicable thing to do. I would hope society moves beyond this, but apparently we haven’t.
That may all be speculation. He may not be a billionaire in his own right, no matter what the DM might “report”. It seems he part of a large family that has 1 billion in assets, and he is not the sole heir. Given how private she has always been about her personal life up to now, we may never know anything about settlements or the real reasons for them separating.
I think the fight will revolve around the baby. I think he especially wanted a baby, an heir & she probably could’ve gone either way but eventually gave into him, yet again. Custody is going to get ugly as their differences in faith & lifestyles is going to factor into it in a major way
I have the same sentiments, it would be about the baby and which ‘best’ environment to raise the baby. I know, I know, maybe all of this is Janet’s PR but his alleged posessiveness and controlling behaviour do not help my perception of rich, Arabic men. Yikes.
I hope he gets custody. Her sickening family shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near children.
I Agree it came down to the kid, I also think this Custody fight WILL be a Hot MF Mess, he has ALL THE POSSIBLE MONEY, She less so + Plus a Messy Attention Whorey family of leeches
She noted his controlling nature and gtfo, good for her.
In many islamic countries you cannot travel without your husbands approval, and divorce doesn’t count unless the man says it happened. i have a friend who was trapped in Iran after a visit because her ex wouldn’t acknowledge the divorce or allow her to travel (they were divorced in Canada as canadian citizens).
I hope Janet’s money shelters her a bit from some of this.
Not in many Islamic countries no, just one. Also the richest.
I think she need stay with him because he has a job them other guys she was didn’t have nothing James was a crackhead abuse slanndler her name all over TV to get money and to be seen jermaine was a hold she got rid him video director too credit for all song video if you she need work out with not get get rid I think they need to talk together like normal people he should let wear some clothes on weekend she should raise her baby not go road get wissiam is goof he has job he give money i think she have more kids stop drama stop try be like these other people God is same no more what region you are their only one God she beauty still weight does have nothing to do they need to stay together work he a nice guy world need tie stay out life so what she gain she had baby lot people have baby still have baby fat he should love for who she is she really need to stay him have a real wedding Have her some family not all them she need grown up be real woman stay with stop try be like them other stars she need learn how stay one man that baby has nothing to do that she need work wissiam raise baby not go back to let him keep take care her all her life she work now she got man who want her to be home mom their nothing work that she can go shopping food clothes for husband baby she need learn how be a real wife mom She 50 years now need to grownup learn how be real woman talk to her husband About things she like I think she need keep stay with not worry about what other people’s think God she let God Bless her wissiam baby stay together ask a family have more baby wissiam cause drama get old she need go man to man she stay wissiam cause he does have job house goes work everyday bring home money that best man she ever had they need have real wedding Stay together for another six year not worry about let God help them she need be with he good for stop worry control is stupid he just look at for her
So according to this story Janet thought her husband was too reclusive? Janet and her late brother Michael are famous for some of the most over the top elaborate videos and concerts. But when it came to their off stage lives they were just as secretive and reclusive. Plus this seems like an awful lot of information about the reasons for ending this relationship as compared to her others. This may be the beginning of a nasty divorce if true
It seems her idea of reclusive is not having a flashy pubic life but having contact and relationships with her family. While Wissam seemed to want nothing to do with her family, so that was too reclusive/ isolating for her.
Sure her family is extremely problematic, but they are still her family and if she still wants to be in touch with some of them he should be a part of that since he married her knowing what kind of family life she came from.
Her family is made up of, at worst abusive predators, and at best extremely complicit enablers of abuse. Any normal person would want nothing to do with them, and sure as hell wouldn’t want them anywhere near their child. You’d be better off literally throwing your child to the wolves.
You don’t have to spend time with vile vultures who behave horrifically because you married one of their relatives.
Well Jessie, you are right in some ways, but if what was said down thread about him firing a woman because she was raped is true then he really isn’t any better than her family. So has no leg to stand on and can’t look down on them.
Anyway, it seems Janet only has a relationship with her mom and Rebbie, from what I know.
Well, he is better than much of her family because he didn’t rape the woman himself. Being a morally bankrupt businessman doesn’t automatically mean you want to rub shoulders with rapists, molesters, violent sociopaths or the matriarch who enables all of them. It also doesn’t mean you’re a crazy person who thinks any of those people, especially Katherine, should be allowed anywhere near a child. What that monstrous woman let poor Paris deal with after her father’s death…hell, what Janet left her to deal with. It’s just horrifying, and I’d expect having a child to worry about changes everything in that regard.
I’m a Muslim and I don’t subscribe to the idea that you try to change your partner completely if they don’t want to change. He knew who Janet was before he met her and just should have accepted her or not married her at all.
Same here. I told my husband do not convert for sake of converting and advised what would be expected of him at my family gatherings. Told him he must be happy and not change himself and that he must respect his mother’s wish also. Told him straight that he can find a wife or gf but he only has one mum.
Yeah, I am not quite ready to throw this man under the bus as yet. He seemed to truly love her. My guess is that he is wary of her very messy, money hungry, and manipulative family. God knows they are so damn messy, and greedy.
I kind of agree with you – Janet’s family are famously abusive, money grubbing leeches. And the fact that she filed just past the 5 year mark, which according to twitter = massive pay day, smells fishy, as well. I’m not sure I like this ‘conservative muslim controlling man’ narrative that is being spun here.
Not unexpected for an Arab guy
Wow, ok.
First I must say that I am talking over the little information we are given.
We tend to romanticize someone, something but over time reality hits home eventually. He comes from a different, conservative culture rich or not rich let’s not forget that. And she is an artist who is mostly known for her over the top music and performances (which I like). I think they absolutely loved each other and having money and courting each other in the most exclusive places is all good and stuff but the truth is they were not very compatible to begin with. Who knows what goes behind closed doors but the statement that he IS an Arab must be seriously considered. They have a totally different culture. Even the most progressive of them are much much more different from the common western guy. And yes this story smells somehow. I think it will be war IF the baby is his only male heir that’s why the story of abuse is out. She is preparing a PR war over him.
Due to my work I have had the chance to meet a lot of people from different muslim countries. One thing they had in common was that no matter what, they were very VERY fanatic about their religion. The more you tried to push them the more they would go the opposite way. From their religion you have the rules that they follow in their everyday life. It not necessarily a bad thing as I have witnessed myself but it was something to consider at least on my part while being with them. The most gentle and easy going guys I meet were form Oman. They got out of their way to make the female members of the training course I was in, comfortable. They felt offended if I tried to pay for my drinks and ice creams. One of them said his mother would be ashamed if she knew he behaved like that. He was over 40 and very serious about that.
” Still, the couple hoped a baby would help.”
That’s always a smart move since we all know that babies are really chill, do not cause any stress or whatsoever and fix everything.
Ha! Exactly, thank you. So many celebrity splits have followed a “band aid baby”. Although I must say this is unusually quick, the distraction usually lasts a bit longer. Once the euphoria and celebration of the new arrival wear off you’re left with the same problems your marriage had before (with added stress).
Maybe Miss Jackson (if you’re nasty) wants to get back into her music. Speaking of which, “Janet” was the album that gave me life in1993.
This is a man who fired a woman because she was raped.
I read that too. If true, he is beyond disgusting.
God! Please give some details. Never heard this before.
He did what? OMG that’s terrible
Omg, I googled and found the article on the DM. The woman reported the rape to the police and was arrested for having sex outside of marriage! Her rapist was sentenced to 3months less than her. This was her work colleague! According to Sharia law, the person has to admit to talking the woman or it has to be witnessed by 4 adult Muslim men. What are the chances of that happening? That’s what the DM reports is the law, if it is incorrect, please let me know. How do Muslim women deal with this male centric culture?
Under Sharia law a woman is required to have 4 male witnesses, I think female witnesses would have to be more in number? Whatever a woman does, whether being a witness or inheriting money, it is alway half of that what a man would be granted.
I’m not going to explain Sharia law to you (mostly because I dont necessarily understand it, and we have the internet for that), but I would strongly advise agaisnt taking anything the Daily Fail says, as fact – especially when pertaining to minorities/immigrants/Islam.
Certainly many Muslim countries have very very severe punishments for men (and women) convicted of sexual crimes, so there must be a way to convict other than being witnessed by 4 men.
Clare, most punishments in extremely Islamic countries are female focused, especially for sexual offences.
This is not to say abuse of women is an islamic problem. mistreatment and sexual abuse of women is very common in many fundamentalist religious groups, and islam is no exception. Make no bones about it though, Sharia law is not friendly to women. At all.
Under Sharia law women do not hold the same rights as men. They are not considered able to rule, and are considered ‘deficient in intelligence and religion’. As such, their testimony counts for significantly less. Two women would be required for every man, from what I understand, so that if one errs ‘the other can remind her’.
Snowflake/Detritus/Clare, I wouldn’t refer to the DM either, but I have the same question. How do the Muslim women in these countries stand it? How do women in communities like the Duggars stand it? I suspect we are asking the wrong question. To women who have been exposed to such a misogynistic outlook from birth, this is their normal, they are used to this, this is all they know. They are not given access to science, to a basic education. So the right question is, why are the men doing this? Syaria law is an interpretation of the book and the hadiths, but ultimately an interpretation by men who think they know better, not unlike when Trump signed that paper on women’s health surrounded by men. That’s the problem. Women in these countries are systematically held back by the lack of education and human rights protection. The cycle continues. Also, I have a genuine question, does the Vatican involve any women in legislation? How about Judaism? Thanks in advance!
The vatican is a theocracy, but does not govern a whole lot of families, it is more of a burocratic admin system for the catholic church all over the world. Theocracies or islam- based laws like those women in the middle east and some parts of Africa do affect their citizens and tourists.
Many people advocate for them or justify or are used tobthem, but I cannot stand the thought of extreme observation of them.
Someone here in CB mentioned months ago thebcase of a South american woman whi divorced a lebanese or Jordan man who then forcefully (during a custodial visit) smuggled their young children to his country and then she lost all her rights. He claimed that he wanted to raise their children as muslim and she had to sign to actually give up all her rights as a good will gesture so she could see her children. And this was in a non extremist country. I know not every muslim is extremist, we owe muslims for safe keeping cultural heritage monuments for many centuries until extremists came, But its laws are not good for women, even when they justify that men have to care for them. If they are extremist observants, then gays or other minoritios have it not so easy.
Sorry, but I massively side eye her for staying with and deciding to have a child with a man who fired a woman who was raped.
Did they really think having a baby would make things better? So many people think having a child will fix everything but it just makes it tougher. Maybe this was just her last chance to have a baby.
She’s looking so much like Michael.
It miust be the nose. LaToya’s looks the same as well, if I recall. Weird family.
If I understood correctly
They had issues before and the solution was to having a kid?
Like really? That too a worldly superstar of 50 yrs of age?
Also conservative males tend to be extremely controlling .
That’s what the men are like over there. I’m not suprised.
I feel like he might have gotten stricter/more involved with his faith over time as they headed towards building a family. Janet seemed to adhere to his standards more as time went on. She was very covered up on her tour and I remember wondering if that was according to her husbands wishes. It wasn’t like that at the beginning of their relationship, her public appearances definitely changed. I’ve been thinking that this could end up being a dealbreaker for quite some time now. Though most of the Jacksons aren’t JW anymore they still seem very rooted in their faith and/or spirituality. I can see how someone not letting them be and do their own thing independently from their partners religion wouldn’t end well. Probably best to find someone who’s on the same page regarding your faith then.
Also while the Jacksons must be very difficult (and I certainly don’t envy them for their father) they stick together when push comes to shove. They always do these huge family reunions and generally seem to be tighter than it sometimes appears in public. So I imagine someone telling Janet to stay away from them wouldn’t fly in the long run.
If my husband insisted I had to cover up and my religion told me I couldn’t breastfeed if public, there was no way I would stay Olin that marriage. Where is the feminist outcry about a religion that treats women like second-class citizens???
You’ll never see that outcry. Any indignation is reserved for white men. Man spreading and man splaning and male gaze and all of the other nothings that don’t matter are what’s really important! Probably because white men won’t behead or bomb you if you speak up about their behavior. It is never about actually caring about women, it’s about status signaling and complaining. Everyone knows it but nobody will admit it. But it’s a mystery why so many women don’t want to be associated with feminism! Yeah ok.
+1
Hi! We (you and I) wouldn’t be aware of every reaction. I think there should be more outcry. Hope it helps that feminists in Malaysia and Singapore do call out such mentality. For example, when a Muslim Malaysian Olympic gymnast was criticised for her non modest clothing, prominent feminists such as the former PM’s daughter and the male sports minister (both are Muslims) chastised the narrow-minded critics openly.
+1
Excellent post, Tashkent.
If there were an outcry it would be labeled Islamophobic
Unfortunately if you dare criticise any aspect of Islam you get labelled an islamaphobe. While all religions treat women as second class citizens Islam is the worst offender. When people do speak out about it they tend to get killed by people from ‘the religion of peace’.
Yes.
I think you have a fair point going, not going to call you one. Just like to add let’s not conflate religion with culture. Just as there’s a spectrum of Christians and Jews, there’s a spectrum of Islam practitioners and there’s a particular group in that spectrum that makes more news. I actually feel the three Abrahamic religions are not fulfilling for me as a woman, but to be fair, I have not studied all enough to make an informed judgement. What I do know is I have my own personal and individual beliefs that do not condone terrorism and I don’t believe in wearing the hijab to avoid the male gaze. Of course, no press covers this and some people still don’t believe me. So as much as my reality is that I have to live life with people thinking I am a danger to society or that I have to keep apologizing for every attack and non-feminist move, I still have to keep moving. Anyway I’ll add a fun fact: in Singapore, you can renounce the religion directly with the Islamic organisation and get on with life.
christianity also requires chastity, modesty and female subservience. catholicism even says birth control is a sin, and lets not get into ‘honor and obey’ your husband.
this isn’t about islam, its about most fundamentalist religions.
No it is about Islam. I don’t see fundamentalist Christians, Jews, Buddists, Hindus etc blowing themselves up etc. Let’s not kid our selves for the sake of being pc.
@Lisa Are you forgetting Ireland? Catholics and Protestants blew themselves up for decades over religion.
@Lisa, do you consider suicide bombers the only terrorists? Because if you do it rather conveniently ignores all the other terrorist acts committed in the name of other religions and ideologies, especially in the US.
to add to what kynesgrove and cr said,
Have you ever met a Mormon woman? Jehovah’s witness? Zionist Jewish?
None of those religions are friendly to women.
The children’s crusade, the inquisition, protestant/catholic bombings, burning witches, refusing science, those are christian things. I can start quoting anti-woman things from the bible if you aren’t swayed yet. I mean, the entire downfall of man was placed at the feet of one woman and an apple.
@Lisa
There are plenty of MODERN examples of extremist fundamentalism to be found in those “innocent” groups you mentioned. In Myanmar, a Buddhist country, the military and village vigilantes are slaughtering and violating the Rohingya Muslim minority population. They view them as subhuman and they have no citizenship rights due in part to their Muslim faith.
In India, a Muslim man was recently murdered by a group of Hindus for transporting a cow for slaughter; and a several sets for the Bollywood movie “Padmavati” being filmed right now have been destroyed by Molotov cocktails and the director was at one point assaulted by a mob of Hindu fundamentalists because there was a rumor the movie would feature a (mythical) Hindu queen in a romantic relationship with a Muslim general.
There is so much non-Islamic fundamentalist violence and terrorism in the world. It just doesn’t get covered.
Slightly OT, but I hate it that the “malfunction” bullcarp continues to follow Janet and yet would never be mentioned in connection with JT. Two people were part of that debacle, not just the Black woman.
Who is JT? I agree, it can’t be easy finding a message when you are rich and famous. She shouldn’t be treated as if there is something wrong with her
Justin Timberlake
You read my mind! This annoys me too.
Not surprised, they seemed like a total mismatch.
I know nothing about him, but he’s really handsome.
I imagine this is going to get ugly. Which country to raise the baby in? What religion? Etc, etc… Yikes, all around. And especially after as much time, money, and effort as they surely had to put in for her to get pregnant at 50, it seems bizarre to me to divorce right afterwards.
Such a shame but not surprised either. On the other hand, what did she do with her face? It looks painful!
He should have been more concerned for her mother. What a selfish twat he is?!?!
Glad she’s getting her freedom back from a suffocating husband.
I was actually hoping she’d have her happily ever after. Hopefully the baby is healthy and they will have an amicable split.
TBH, if I was exceedingly concerned about either of my parents and received no comfort or support from my spouse, I’d be quite upset as well.
The couple hoped a baby would help….lol.
Isn’t this her 3rd secret marriage? And does anyone believe she was preggo?
Good lord she’s bizarre. That family is just effed up.
Given the photo proof of her during the pregnancy? Yes. She gained a lot of weight all over; it wasn’t fake padding in certain places to fool the paps (aka use of surrogate).
Strict Muslim man? He openly dated and married a pop star and sex symbol from another country, race and religion. The press really looks for any excuse to stereotype Arab men. Their baby is named Eissa– the Arabic equivalent of Jesus….Maybe the two were incompatible? And maybe having your mother in law/ mother move in for 2 months during a time of emotional ups and downs was enough pressure to end things.
Hardcore Janet fan here, to shed some lights on a few things. CB, this was actually Janet’s 3rd secret marriage, not her 2nd. (While it sounds strange, most of the Jacksons had secret marriages their own families didn’t know about, if not several each. In the earlier years, it largely stemmed from trying to get away from Joe’s control.)
I’m sad to hear all the money conspiracies the media has been pedaling. That doesn’t work when you’re talking about Janet, who has plenty of money on her own. If anything, she has fallen victim to money grubbing men (Oh hi, Rene Elizondo). Janet, like Michael, are/were workaholics. They aren’t bottom feeders like the rest of their family. Janet doesn’t get much credit these days, but she has always been an entrepreneur and has endless avenues for revenue, which she wouldn’t be afraid to work for, if she wanted it. I’m fairly certain this doesn’t boil down to money, Janet could never spend what she has to begin with and doesn’t need a man to pay her bills.
If I had to guess, I would say that Wissam’s control issues were a real issue. I saw Janet’s ill-fated Unbreakable tour on the opening date in Vancouver. I’d seen her perform many times and this was by far the most unlike her I’ve ever seen. I was shocked by the show. Not an ounce of skin was showing (except her face and hands) throughout the few wardrobe changes there were. (There are usually a lot of wardrobe changes, and she was generally always exposing a lot of body before.) This was before she was pregnant. I assumed Janet converted to Muslim. She seems like a pretty strong willed person so I don’t think she’d necessarily do that unless she wanted to, and she isn’t the first in the family (Jermaine is Muslim and Michael briefly dabbled). That said, given the daddy issues, she may be really eager to please and given that this is one of the few men she’s been with who was very well off, I’m not sure the degree of influence he had. Whether these changes stemmed from her choice or pressure, I can’t say. I can tell you that not only was her wardrobe subdued, the whole performances were. Literally no sexuality any where, which is such a strong hallmark of her work. It definitely didn’t feel like a “Janet show”. She was completely changed. I didn’t see the old Janet in there. Not what I or the audience comes to expect from her. And that does have repercussions on her fan base.
Issues of control have always plagued Janet, either because she was too controlled, or because she wanted independence (listen to the Control album!!). When you have a baby it’s not really about you any more, and maybe she just decided that wasn’t the way she wanted to go.
That it came so closely timed to Katherine’s visit is interesting. With MJ and Janet, it’s always mama first. I should note that Katherine is also 86 years old, hard to see her still jet-setting around and dealing with her babies neverending dillemas (and their kids, and their kids, and so forth). What she needs is rest and kids that actually take care of her. Maybe this will allow Janet and the baby to spend more time with her.
In any case, hope Janet finds a way to take care of herself through this. She was wise to get away from most of her family. At least Katherine has her back.
Other reports have her continuing to stay in London, presumably so both of them can be active in raising their son. Does she have any kind of support base there (friends, colleagues)? I’d never heard of her spending time there until this relationship was made known. She has been doing some things in the United Arab Emirates – jewelry line iirc.
So . . . when is she going to tour? Because IIRC, she did not “cancel” her tour to have the baby, she only “postponed” it. The difference is, she doesn’t have to refund any money with a postponement and can keep that ticket money. I thought it was a rotten thing to do at the time (just refund the tickets!).
The refund thing was a stupid rumor. I also had a ticket for the Seattle show and got a refund automatically.