Credit: Found On Internet

OK, let’s not kid ourselves – it wasn’t exactly yesterday that Janet Jackson turned 20. But on her new album ‘20 Y.O.’, Janet (now 40) casts her mind back to the release of her breakthrough third album ‘Control’ in 1986, and attempts to channel its spirit into a whole new set of Ouija grooves. To this end, she’s worked once more with ‘Control’s producers Jimmy Tam and Terry Lewis, alongside boyfriend Jermaine Dupri, famed for his work with Mariah Carey and TLC. The result is a set of club-friendly dance tracks and mushy R&B songs, with dirtyfilthy lyrics and more booty-shaking action than is strictly fair.

Music Towers attended a press conference in Tokyo’s swanky Park Hyatt Hotel (you know, the one in that Bill Murray film) where Ms Jackson – dressed exquisitely in a kimono that fortunately avoided wardrobe malfunction – answered somewhat banal questions from a label rep and Japanese journalists, with more flair than you’d likely expect.

Label rep: Janet, welcome to Japan, we’re very glad to have you here. First of all, would you like to say hello to all the press people who came to see you here today?

Janet: “Hello...”

Label rep: Janet, you always look so pretty, but in a kimono you look even more radiant today. How do you like wearing a kimono?

Janet: “Thank you very much. I like it; I think it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s comfortable for me. They didn’t make it very tight, so I’m very comfortable.”

Label rep: You have a new album, ‘20 Y.O.’, obviously to celebrate the 20th anniversary since your album ‘Control’. What did you have in mind about making this record?

Janet: “When I had my first meeting with Jermaine Dupri and Jimmy Tam and Terry Lewis, who produced and wrote the album with me, the very first thing I said to them was that I wanted to get back to dance. I missed dancing, so I wanted it to be a dance album. And I wanted to get back to my R&B roots the way I did with my ‘Control’ album.”

Label rep: You just mentioned the new producer on the record, Jermaine Dupri. Could you tell us, what did he bring to the table?