The Voice That Healed - Me & Janet

Why do I love Janet? Because she didn't just give me music. She gave me hope. She gave me a reason to keep going when I had none. Her voice has been the gentle hand on my shoulder there with me, against all odds.

One of the most beautiful videos ever. Everything about it I love.

Janet Jackson was born on May 16, 1966, in Gary, Indiana, the youngest of the legendary Jackson family. While the world knew her initially as Michael's little sister, Janet forged her own remarkable path in music history, becoming one of the best-selling artists of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide.

Her career began in the variety show era of the 1970s, but it was her pivot to music in the early 1980s that would define her legacy. Then came 1987...the year everything exploded. At the Grammy Awards, Janet delivered a breakout performance that changed the game forever, performing a medley of "What Have You Done For Me Lately" and "Nasty" that showcased her fierce independence and undeniable star power. I completely lost my mind.

I lost my mind... things have never been the same since.

This wasn't Michael's little sister anymore; this was Janet Jackson, and the world was about to know her name. The next day on the middle school playground, it was all anyone could talk about. Kids were imitating her moves, trying to capture that electricity, that confidence she radiated through the screen. She broke boundaries with her innovative music videos, socially conscious lyrics, and groundbreaking choreography, earning her place as a pop icon who influenced generations of artists.

From her early bubblegum pop sound to her provocative explorations of sexuality, independence, and social issues, Janet's artistry evolved into something far beyond her famous last name...she became Janet Jackson, a force entirely her own. But what the history books don't tell you is how she became a lifeline for millions of kids like me who found in her voice not just entertainment, but survival, inspiration and comfort.

Pleasure Principle 1987. One of my fav videos because of it's minimalism and focus on dance.

Mr. Randall's music class, when everything changed. His classroom walls were decorated with posters of artists I didn't know, but one face caught my attention—a young woman with gentle eyes and infectious smile. Mr. Randall's class was my sanctuary. It was the one place where I felt free, where we got to play actual records on that old turntable, and the music would fill the room like magic. Then one day, he played "Young Love". It was a "what the hell moment" in a good way. Janet's first single and I swear something inside me woke up. The song was so infectious, so pure and joyful, that I couldn't sit still. I played it over and over in my head long after class ended.

Decades later, that song doesn't just play in my memory, it glows there, warm and golden, like a lantern guiding me back to a time when the world felt simpler and full of possibility. By the time that iconic music video for "The Pleasure Principle" came out you know the one, with the chair and that dimly lit room I was completely obsessed. I thought I could recreate that choreography in my living room. Spoiler alert: I could not. I attempted the chair sequence with all the confidence of someone who had no business attempting it, and let's just say my grandma's glass table didn't survive the experience.

My first concert w/ my best friend Brian. Saved up for this one... i was broke AND happy. This song was also playing at Big Cup cafe when I met my first love.

But even that disaster couldn't diminish my love for her. If anything, it proved how deeply she'd gotten under my skin, how much I wanted to embody even a fraction of her grace and talent. Janet didn't stay in my childhood. She grew with me, or maybe I grew toward her. Her music became the thread woven through every major life event, every heartbreak, every triumph, every moment I thought I couldn't go on. It was Janet's voice that held me together. She sang about pain, about survival, about finding yourself when everything tries to break you, and somehow, she made me feel less alone. And now, here we are in 2026. It's time for Janet to come out with a new album.

I've never met her in person, thank God, because I honestly don't know if I could hold myself together standing in front of someone who saved my life without even knowing I existed. But I did see her once, from a distance in Calabasas, California, and even that glimpse just knowing she was real made my heart swell with gratitude. s

Albums covers through the years

Janet Jackson Discography (Release Order)

1. Janet Jackson (1982)

2. Dream Street (1984)

3. Control (1986)

4. Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)

5. janet. (1993)

6. The Velvet Rope (1997)

7. All for You (2001)

8. Damita Jo (2004)

9. 20 Y.O. (2006)

10. Discipline (2008)

11. Unbreakable (2015)