This is part of Janet's biography on the IDJ website.

Sitting across from a roaring fireplace on winter afternoon in Vail, Janet is curled up on a dark leather couch as she discusses the unlikely topic of Discipline, the title of her new album. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling window, long graceful branches of towering trees are heavy with snow. In the distance, a lift carries skiers up an imposing mountain awash in white. Janet's wearing a midnight-black sweat suit, her hair pulled back to the nape of her deck. Her body language is relaxed and her eyes are smiling. She's trim, and also a little hoarse, having just fought off a cold. The whisper-quiet texture of her voice adds to the intimacy of the conversation.

"Discipline has been much on my mind," she says. "It's the idea that unifies the songs on this record. As a concept, and even a lifestyle, discipline goes extremely deep. It can be applied to so much about ourselves. In my case, I see it as one of defining aspects of my character. Discipline was there for me from the start. But it was not until this record that I began to understand its full meaning. "In putting Discipline out front-- as both the title of the album and title of a song about sexual surrender--I wanted to announce that I was venturing into new creative waters. That meant working with producers like Jermaine Dupri, Rodney Jerkins, and Ne-Yo, whose songs spoke to the immediacy of my emotions. Like all my records, this one, whether intentional or not, has autobiographical roots. It's difficult for me to work any other way. I don't feel it, if I don't believe it, I can't sing it.

"So Discipline, as a storyline, begins in my childhood which someone could see as a classic study in discipline. Discipline was part of a family culture that I absorbed. I was born with it. "I also believe that discipline has given me the confidence to jump out of the nest. When L.A. Reid, Chairman of Island Def Jam, and I discussed co-executive producing this record, we both agreed that the feeling had to adventuresome and fresh. I was interested in exploring musical scenarios-some exotic, many erotic, but all deeply emotional. I wanted to push the envelope. And I'm glad that `Discipline,' both as a song and an album, does just that."
[Edited 1/9/08 22:17pm]

Feedback moves 84-52 on the Hot 100 this week and debuts at 66 on the R&B chart.

Feedback was the #1 viewed video on YouTube yesterday.

http://youtube.com/browse?s=mp

Janet is the Featured story on the Yahooo main page, with a link to the video.



"Finally Making a Comeback: Janet Gets it Right After SuperBowl Debacle"

Janet: "Feedback" Is In
Posted Wed. Jan 9, 8:10 PM ET by Billy Johnson, Jr. in Hip-Hop Media Training
Things have been rough for Janet since she flashed Super Bowl XXXVIII viewers in 2004.

Let me rephrase that.

Things have been rough for Janet since Justin Timberlake helped her flash Super Bowl...

Unfortunately for Janet, the wardrobe malfunction happened at the wrong time. Tabloid media, internet gossip and E! True Hollywood Stories had already desensitized the public to ridiculous celebrity woes.

It's kind of hard to feel sorry for someone who was born into one of entertainment's most noted families, yet managed to expose one of her nipples during the halftime performance of one of the country's biggest annual family events.

The incident and the FCC backlash put the pressure on Janet's Damita Jo album. But Damita Jo couldn't handle it. And neither could 2006's 20 Y.O. While I personally liked both albums, neither delivered the impact necessary to shut down the haters.

When R. Kelly's sex abuse scandal hit, his infectious "Step In The Name Of Love" refocused the fans on his music. Mariah Carey recovered from her public mental meltdown and Glitter flop in 2005 with "We Belong Together" which set a record as the most played song in radio history.

Janet's forthcoming Discipline album needs to deliver her the same type of career blessing.

Janet's brand new single "Feedback" is the only track I've heard so far. Produced by leading R&B hitmaker Rodney Jerkins, it is a safe, pop-leaning dance track that reintroduces her on familiar territory. But more importantly, it sets her up for the video, the medium she owns.

Janet wannabes Ciara, Britney and Rihanna wished they looked this good in their twenties, much less in their early 40s. Janet proves that she is still an exceptional dancer, bouncing around in space and in a computer generated pond of milk in one of her trademark cat suits.

It's got me hoping that I'll get a bit more of the old Janet this time around.

Seeing Beyonce on tour last year, dressed up like Janet in the "Rhythm Nation" video, and emulating the militaristic dances, reminded me of how groundbreaking Janet was when she made that video nearly 20 years ago.

Watching Ciara freestyle in the mirror in her "1, 2 Step" video reminded me that Janet's 1987 "Pleasure Principle" was that much better.

And every time I see Britney on stage wearing the cordless microphone headset that Janet popularized in her "Control" video, I want to run up on the stage and snatch it off of her head. She's not using it anyway...

Janet's written the hip hop pop blueprint. She just needs to reclaim it. I'm crossing my fingers that she's gonna do it.
[Edited 1/9/08 23:00pm]

you are actually using something yahoo says as an endorsement?

lazycrockett said:

it's more like a feed of information he's providing

Cinnie said:

Oh in that case.

Janet said:

Only a Jackson could have his or her head shoved so far up his/her ass


Still looking forward to it, but this better not be another album about her god damn vagina

lazycrockett said:

What's your problem? He posted a new article from the media.

Cinnie said:

Is it just me or does Justin Timberlake look extremely ugly in that picture? He looks like he had not showered for quite some time.

To me he looks like he wanted to see Michael naked, but that this was the second best option so he opted for it.

novabrkr said:

Are you one of those people who when seeing a picture of Janet Jackson cannot help but think: Michael Jackson with breasts?

Rodya24 said:

Yeah! I came up with that expression here originally!

No but seriously speaking, plastic surgery or not, she's a beautiful woman.

novabrkr said:

I think the entire family with the exception of couple of individuals were beautiful pre-plastic surgery -- and several of them post-plastic surgery. At least Janet looks semi-normal with her nose.
[Edited 1/10/08 1:55am]

good for JJ!

Okay, now THAT is how Janet would elaborate on her albums concept before she got stuck on JD's D-game and weight loss.

VoicesCarry said:

That's kinda hot.

Scorpion said:

yeah...i was afraid this was going to be pushed as a "Control Part 2".

but, im not totally sold...how can the theme of feedback be new? its still about sex.

Say what you will but "Feedback" sounds ten times hotter than "Call On Me."
Hopefully it is a sign of good things to come for this album. Woo!

sosgemini said:

I think she will still talk about sex, just not in the ruefully explicit manner of the past several albums. Love and sex are topics that will always be present in her work (in the work of most artists, it seems), and I have no problem if she addresses them, as long as it's done well, which really hasn't been the case for some time.

VoicesCarry said:

Discipline and submission sounds like she's bringing back themes started with Velvet Rope a la BDDSM/Kink

"That meant working with producers like Jermaine Dupri"

To the people that kept insisting "JD isn't going to be a producer", what do you say now?

Raze said:

I couldn't agree with you more. I'm still going to buy the album next month. Thank goodness Best Buy isn't far from my job.

ehuffnsd said:

I hope that's the case.

I don't have a problem with all the sex talk, it's fun but she's gotta find a new and sexciting way to talk about it. The double standard is wack Prince has did it for so long and everyone laps it up like cream.

matthewgrant said:

i don't have an issue with her doing it...i just have an issue with her trying to claim an album of sex talk is somehow "new direction".

sosgemini said:

I am going to wait and see what the album is like and judge it on its own terms, instead of extrapolating from the first single. Feedback is intended to re-launch her career as a hitmaker, nothing more, and it seems to be doing its job. I think her talk about new creative waters, at least in this interview, has more to do with her dumping Jam & Lewis and working with different producers like Rodney and Ne-Yo than it does with thematic elements. It is nice that she actually did explain some of the reasoning behind the album, though. She hasn't talked about her music in this way for some time.
[Edited 1/10/08 9:03am]

VoicesCarry said:

its cute that you are capable of putting aside the warning signs but after the last couple of years i no longer have the patience to deal with the crap that comes out of her mouth. it would almost be best if she didn't talk at all.

sosgemini said:

Just my opinion.

I really like Feedback. I consider it her best track since 2001.
[Edited 1/10/08 10:07am]

VoicesCarry said:

OH GOD.... always about sex.... my goosh can she just leave that alone for a minute..... its annoying... cause there is more important things to life then that.... what about the world comming to an end...

this has put out some of the sparks i had for JJ... cause i don't want to hear another album about her having sex with JD>... NO one wants to think about that...