Janet Jackson is poised to pounce back into the public eye with a new album, a book and an upcoming world tour. In an exclusive interview with Prestige Hong Kong in New York, the singer opens up about growing up Jackson, life offstage with boyfriend Jermaine Dupri and what still makes her blush.

On the happening of a Jackson world tour: “I really don’t know. I hope it happens. I would love for it to happen. I’m probably [my brothers’] biggest fan. I think it would be great if they did. They’re so loved and definitely missed and there’s so much history there, musically speaking even, there’s so much that they have to give . . . there’s so much youth still there. I think about how Mick Jagger is 65 million years old, like a dinosaur or something, all of them [The Rolling Stones], and I look at my brothers and none of them look their age. Not that they’re old, they just still don’t look their age and it really trips me out. And I hope they do [stage a world tour]. They still love their music.”

On her relationship with boyfriend Jermaine Dupri:“We’re not married. I call him my boyfriend. Jermaine calls me his wife, I’ve heard him say that as well . . . But not yet. I don’t know if that will ever happen. Maybe, I really don’t know. It’s because, at least for myself, this space that we’re in I think is so nice. I feel like maybe marriage is a jinx for me. I’ve done it twice; I’m not trying to be Elizabeth Taylor and do it eight times. Where we are is good and we’re happy and there’s no drama. And plus, I think there’s something about having a spiritual connection where you don’t have to have a certificate to validate the love. So it’s all good – if you make those vows to one another and you know that you have a connection, that’s all you need. I really do think [marriage] is just a way for the government to keep tabs on everybody, I truly do. Now people think you’ve got to grow up and get married and have a family, you don’t have to do that if you don’t want that. Just because everyone else does that doesn’t mean you have to.”

On meeting Jermaine:”We first met at my concert in 1990. He came backstage and said hello and I think I was married, or I got married right after, I don’t know, I can’t remember. We’d see each other here and there, we did a couple of remixes and stuff, and from those remixes we became friends. We really connected.”

On listening to her own music:”The only time I listen to my music is when we have to put a tour together. Isn’t that crazy? It’s so funny because I was just speaking to someone the other night and he said that his wife was pregnant and they wanted to thank me and I said, “Why are you thanking me?” And he said, “Because the baby was conceived because . . .” of me! You don’t know how much I get that. I get that so often, it’s so funny. People are listening to my music having children and I don’t listen to my own music and I don’t have any kids [laughs] so maybe I should listen to my music! People walk up to me and introduce me to their daughters and say she was conceived because they were listening to me. They’ll tell me what album. It’ll be The Velvet Rope or the Janet album, more so than the others. It’s so weird. I’ve always called it baby-making music. You know, let’s do a baby-making song.”

On her new book, that chronicles weight struggle:“It’s not necessarily about yo-yo dieting, it’s coming from my soul. It has been tough at times – even when I was younger – so it talks about those times and what triggered me to come out of it. Also it gives little nutrition tips in the back on how I did it. It’s not strictly about nutrition . . . it talks about the struggle that I had.”

On her everyday diet:“I watch what I eat, but I still have my moments as I’ve gotten older. I never had a sweet tooth before, never did, but now – I mean I’ve always loved strawberries and whipped cream but that’s healthy – I’ve got this thing for caramel apples, and I used to love caramel apples when I was younger but now it’s bad. There’s a spot in Atlanta that sells them all year around – I find a way to find them [laughs]. They want me to have them!”

On her New Year resolutions for 2008:”This is awful, but I’m going to try and stop cursing as much. I know that sounds crazy. I didn’t used to curse, but when I did Poetic Justice I had to curse so I was practicing my cursing and I haven’t stopped. It’s bad, I do it too much. It’s a bad habit. That and to become more environmentally friendly. I’ve already started with my little energy-saving light bulbs; I’ve been testing them out. And I was thinking about getting a hybrid but I love these big cars, I love trucks and stuff. I’m awful. Slowly but surely I’m getting there, slowly but surely so that it’s not too drastic. But yet [laughs] I try to do it fast enough so that I won’t be the cause of the end of the world! They’ll say, ”If she moved just a little quicker, this wouldn’t be happening right now!”

On her ideal day:“I enjoy keeping busy, actually. Both ways. I enjoy working, working, working until I’m really tired, really tired. Then I enjoy getting away for a couple weeks, being with my family, being with my friends and just chilling out. Nothing special, nothing big, just chilling out. I love Europe. I’m down to go to Europe and Asia anytime, whether it’s to go to work or just to tag along. I love visiting countries and sightseeing and learning about the culture, the people, listening to the music and testing the food – I just enjoy stuff like that. Then once again, I love being on a nice warm beach, where there’s sand – the ocean just calms me. I love just being on a yacht and chilling out.”

[Source: Prestige Hong Kong]

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