Janet Jackson will forever be that girl: mother to the girls, gays, and theys, the blueprint, the prototype, and an eternal, inclusive ray of sunshine.
As she kicked off the second edition of her Together Again Tour, she brought Nelly along for the ride. Starting promptly, the St. Louis-bred rapper transformed Los Angeles’ Kia Forum arena into Club Derrrty on Saturday (June 8) as he ran through an array of assorted hits with some very familiar faces during the opening set. He, Murphy Lee, City Spud, and the St. Lunatics had the crowd on their feet as we collectively went bar-for-bar rapping “Shake A Tail Feather,” “Ride Wit Me,” “Grillz,” “Air Force Ones,” and “Country Grammar.”
There was a drastic shift in energy when he started to perform “Dilemma” and Kelly Rowland didn’t come out as a surprise guest. A disgruntled sigh overcame the crowd as they sat down and watched the Destiny’s Child member in a video montage behind Nelly. The confusion continued as the rapper performed a medley of songs he isn’t on like Lil Jon’s “Get Low” and Flo Rida’s “Low.” However, he won the audience back over when incorporating Erica Banks’ “Buss It” in the middle of “Hot In Herrre.”
After a quick set change, it was time for Ms. Jackson. She returned to her “home,” rocking custom Thom Browne looks, ringing in Pride month with a vibrant mix of “Night,” “2nite,” and Mr. V’s “Jus Dance,” all while bridging the generational gap as the likes of the Combs twins, Amanda Seales, Leslie Odom Jr., and Yvette Nicole Brown were in attendance. She called The Forum her home because she’s had the venue as a stop for five tours since 1990—the Rhythm Nation World Tour (1990), the Janet. World Tour (1994), the Velvet Rope Tour (1998), the Unbreakable World Tour (2015), and now, the Together Again Tour (2024).
Throughout her two-hour set, Janet introduced each act with a costume change while weaving in fan-favorite deep cuts like “SloLove,” “Make Me,” “Take Care,” and “With You” with her classics: “Control,” “I Get Lonely,” “That’s The Way Love Goes,” “Nasty,” “All For You,” “If,” and “Scream.” One transition came with a reflection as the 58-year-old narrated, “I was just a small child when I first stood on stage in front of an audience and I’m still just as excited as I was that day. I wouldn’t be here without God and you.”
Similar to last year’s run, witnessing Janet after five decades in the industry is more like a celebration for her day ones. The only difference this time around is that she gave a little more love in honor of Damita Jo’s 20th anniversary and Rhythm Nation’s 35th anniversary.
Solaiman Fazel
Seeing her through the eyes of a twenty-something versus a thirty-something versus a fifty-something will all be different experiences. For most songs, it felt like we were in a giant nightclub where the ladies come first, but then there were memorably intimate moments like during “Let’s Wait Awhile” when she sat onstage and just serenaded us.
During “Again,” Janet turned the mic on the audience and we sang the song in its entirety. When she got to the grand finale with “Together Again,” we had goosebumps because the live rendition is so full of love. She pointed at the crowd, cheered us on, and blew kisses. It was a fun, lighthearted, and endearing moment.
Regardless of the era that made you fall in love with her, Janet is still just as stunning and light on her feet as she was in the ‘80s, ‘90s, and 2000s. She will never not give you a dance break and her voice is as dreamy and pristine as it’s ever been.
With the Together Again Tour, retirement isn’t a thought because Janet’s love for her craft and her fans runs so deeply. Just like the song suggests, all of her love really is for you.
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