Glamazons,
I am a lucky girl. I've been a Janet Jackson stan since I could remember (I learned how to dance watching Pleasure Principle, how to flirt watching the "You Want This" video, how to balance sexy and cute watching "Love Will Never Do (Without You)," the list goes on).
And at the end of last year, I saw her perform "Scream" for her brother in person at the 2009 VMA's, met her for the first time at the Why Did I Get Married Too premiere AND saw her perform a full-fledged concert on Friday at the ESSENCE Music Festival in New Orleans.
And guys, you haven't lived until you've seen a Jackson perform, particularly the full fierce-and-fabulousness that is Janet Jackson. At forty-something, the August ESSENCE covergirl beat, killed and resurrected the Superdome main stage during Friday's performance.
She performed for two hours---with intermissions---gjving the audience everything she had with each number. She opened with Pleasure Principle (a cult classic) and went on to perform Control, What Have You Done For Me Lately, Feedback, You Want This, Miss You Much, I Get Lonely and so much more.
Her dance moves were impeccable, her voice flawless...and her fashion? Miss Jackson rocked everything from a metallic leotard to a glorious nude leotard that showed off all her sexy curves.
The highlights included an intermission with a video montage of all Janet's acting roles like Penny in Good Times, Charlene from Diff'rent Strokes and Cleo from Fame to Justice from Poetic Justice and Patricia in Why Did I Get Married Too. The crowd clapped ferociously for her Good Times, Poetic Justice and Why Did I Get Married scenes, establishing Janet as a beloved actress AND performer.
And the best part of the evening was her performance of Discipline. She did her signature set-up from the Velvet Rope tour where she takes an unsuspecting man from the audience (who I met backstage! He called the moment "awesome"), ties him up and has her way with him.
Janet let him lick her hand (below), fall face-forward into her mounds of cleavage AND she rode him onstage, clothes on of course. The picture above is her bouncing on top of him, you can see his bald head in the foreground. I could not pick my bottom lip off the ground. Janet was risque, yet in complete control of her sexuality. I love it!
Check the video below:
After that show, Janet performed Nasty, Black Cat and Rhythm Nation (with all the dancers in perfect sync! What a sight to see!) before closing the show. Or so we thought.
Dressed in all white, Janet reappeared after twenty breathless minutes and shut down "Make Me" which she announced as her 33rd #1 hit. To close the phenomenal show, Janet performed "Together Again" with an angelic voice and spirited dance moves. The entire audience was jumping up and down with Janet; it was glorious.
When she got to the bridge and sang acapella: "There are times when I look above and beyond, there are times when I feel your love around me, baby..." pictures of her and the late Michael Jackson emerged on the screen---and the montage continued throughout the song.
Pictures of the siblings from childhood to their iconic "Scream" video brought smiles and applause from the audience. It was such a beautiful, memorable moment.
Check out pictures of the Glamazons hanging out backstage in the VIP Belvedere lounge below:
Here's a picture of the lounge backstage.
The Glamazons backstage in the VIP Belvedere Lounge with Glamazonian icon Mikki Taylor
Niecey Nash gets a bartending lesson backstage
The Belve Peach ESSENCE drink which Niecey is learning to make was absolutely delicious! Ferocia and I were sipping on it all night long! The drink consists of 1/2 oz Belvedere Vodka, 1 oz Peach Snapps, 1/2 oz Lemon Juice and 3 oz of freshly brewed sweetened ice tea. Heaven!
Niecey after mixing my new favorite drink.
Unlimited supply of the delicious Belvedere Pink Grapefruit
Yum! We spotted Boris Kodjoe backstage at the lounge. (We'd get to interview him later, didn't I say we are lucky girls?)
The ultimate crooner, Keith Sweat, was there! ::Sings:: Girl, you got me twisted over youuu...
Nene Leakes chatted it up with us at the event. She met Ferocia at the ESSENCE It Girl Competition in Atlanta, and declared that I am just as crazy! LOL
I met one of my favorite musicians, Raphael Saadiq! He said he is coming out with an album later this year! Yesss!
Tyler Perry and the Reverend Al Sharpton. Glamazons, partying with the Reverend Al Sharpton is truly a surreal moment.
Fun times all around! Stay tuned for more.
Kisses,
Coutura
Backstage Photos: Frank Micelotta Photos.
Janet Jackson concert photo while riding audience member: Billionheir.