Britney Spears, like a lot of us, is a lifelong fan of Janet Jackson, even going so far as to declare her a “god.”
In an Instagram update on Thursday (Oct. 15), Spears, whose Britney album turns 25 later this month, recalled being captivated as a teenager by Jackson’s repeatedly proven prowess as a master of the music video format.
“At 13 years old, if a Janet Jackson video came on the TV, my mouth dropped open,” Spears told fans. “I kept repeating in my head, ‘No, no. Please come back, I wanna see that again. Where the hell did that come from?’ It was her ability to be incredibly mysterious, so dark with a vibe that sucked you in immediately, and then this haunting, simple, angelic tone.”
Of course, Jackson’s catalog of classic videos is indeed extensive. “Rhythm Nation,” “The Pleasure Principle,” “Nasty,” “All for You,” and “Scream” (featuring her late brother Michael) all remain shining examples of the form to this day.
Spears also had praise for Jackson’s “pure and genuine” vocal style.
“She’s not trying to be sexy, she just is,” Spears wrote. “She can’t help it. She has always been god to me. She’s not just a singer, she is an entertainer in people’s eyes. Not only do adults feel her presence in such a spellbound way, she’s able to captivate the hearts of children as well! I was so young, and she spoke to my heart and soul like no one else.”
As Spears sees it, people like Jackson, whom she dubbed her “girl crush” for the month, “are here for a reason.”
Jackson was quick to respond to the praise, sharing Spears’ post to her own IG Stories alongside a duo of heart and kissy face emojis.
Spears is effectively retired from music, at least for now, but her aforementioned Britney album, which opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 upon its release back in 2001 and featured the superhit “I’m a Slave 4 U,” is getting an anniversary-commemorating reissue on Nov. 6. The level of involvement from Spears herself in the release, however, is unclear.
