Janet Jackson, who will turn 57 on May 16, is a multi-talented singer, pop icon, Grammy winner, fashionista, and more. Despite being a multi-hyphenate powerhouse, the brunette beauty is most proud of having the title of “mama”, which she revealed during an interview on the TODAY Show on Apr. 17. “[The title] that gives me the biggest gratification is mama. That’s it. Mama,” Janet quipped about her son, Eissa Al Mana, 6.
Later, the “All for You” hitmaker started to cry when asked what “completes” her when it comes to motherhood. “When you’re tired. When you need a break. I love it all… I’m sorry I’m getting emotional because I’m thinking of one thing in particular, and I’ll never forget it,” she explained amid tears. “It was just so beautiful, and I just thought, that’s my baby… That’s the highest for me. Being a mama.” Janet and her ex-husband, Wissam Al Mana, 48, welcomed their baby boy together in Jan. 2017. That was also the same year that the couple called it quits on their five-year marriage.
The 56-year-old’s latest interview comes amid the start of her Together Again Tour, which she kicked off in Florida on Apr. 14. The proud mother-of-one performed many of her hit songs including “Rhythm Nation,” “What Have You Done for Me Lately,” “Miss You Much” and more. Some of her impressive outfits featured a hot-pink jumpsuit, a gold sparkling bodysuit, and hooded purple coat. “we had so much fun last night… so good to see all of u! #TogetherAgainTour,” she captioned a carousel of photos from her first show on Apr. 15.
Sheinelle Jones, who interviewed Janet on Monday, also surprised the audience, as she took to the stage as one of Janet’s backup dancers over the weekend. “She really wanted to make sure I had the experience, and enjoyed it! She grabbed my hand, and pulled me forward to have my moment on my own. It was surreal,” the TODAY host told Page Six. “She kept saying, ‘Be in the moment. Have fun. The background dancers will take care of you. They have your back.’”
Michael Jackson‘s younger sister has been prepping for her tour for months and even took to Instagram on Feb. 28 to show off her gym routine ahead of her concerts. “In the gym with @trainertony,” she captioned the video, along with a laughing emoji and a bicep emoji. Janet could be heard laughing in the video, as her trainer demonstrated some of the exercises she was set to do. “We always I have fun training together while working hard to get her core ready for tour,” Tony wrote in the comments. Janet first announced her current tour in Dec. 2022, nearly 33 years after her debut tour The Rhythm Nation Tour, kicked off in 1990.