In a rare interview with The Sunday Times of London, pop icon Janet Jackson shared what it was like growing up as a Jackson and the future of her brother Michael’s legacy.
Months after the debut of HBO’s “Leaving Neverland” documentary, which detailed the child molestation allegations against Michael Jackson, little sister Janet says she believes his legacy will live on. “It will continue,” she said. “I love it when I see kids emulating him, when adults still listen to his music. It just lets you know the impact that my family has had on the world. I hope I’m not sounding arrogant in any way – I’m just stating what is. It’s really all God’s doing, and I’m just thankful for that.”
Janet talked about being involved with charitable work her brother would do as a teen within their community, like feeding homeless people bbq dinners. She also discussed the downside of being a kid in the Jackson household. “You really miss out,” she said. “You don’t get to do all the fun things that kids do. I wanted to do gymnastics, but that couldn’t happen because I was busy working. But at least I had my brothers and sisters. They were my best friends.”
There was even a time when Janet told her father Joe that she wanted to step away from music and go to school to study business law: “My father told me no. …He felt that God had a different path for me,” she said.
Janet revealed that she felt as though she “did say everything” to her father that she needed to before he passed away almost a year ago, adding that her own son, 2½ -year-old Eissa, will be free to choose his own path. “I was thankful for the time that I did have with him, with Eissa, the three of us together,” she said. “Being together with my father in the end.”
The pop icon shared that therapy has helped her get through tough times, following her divorce from ex Wissam Al Mana In 2017. “It’s never going to be an easy ride, but we’re going to get through this,” she said. I’ve done a lot in my life, and it’s about having fun, continuing to have fun. There are still things that I do want to do in life, but if I don’t get to do those things, then I’m good. I have a son, and he’s beautiful. He’s my light.”
