Editing Janet Jackson (section)

== Artistry ==

=== Music and voice ===
Jackson possesses a [[mezzo-soprano]] [[Voice type|vocal range]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://nypost.com/2015/05/20/why-pop-divas-should-fear-janet-jacksons-comeback/| title=Why pop divas should fear Janet Jackson's comeback| work=[[New York Post]]| date=May 20, 2015| access-date=March 10, 2018| first=Tashara| last=Jones| archive-date=March 11, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311021538/https://nypost.com/2015/05/20/why-pop-divas-should-fear-janet-jacksons-comeback/| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Smith |first=Da'Shan |date=May 17, 2018 |title=The School of Janet Jackson: Ten Songs From the 21st Century Modeled After Her Classics |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/janet-jackson-influences-10-modern-songs-8456481/ |access-date=April 23, 2025 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Yarborough |first=Chuck |date=March 29, 2019 |title=Janet Jackson: 'Rhythm Nation' singer-songwriter joins her famous siblings: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2019 |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2019/03/janet-jackson-rhythm-nation-singer-songwriter-joins-her-famous-siblings-rock-roll-hall-of-fame-class-of-2019.html |access-date=April 23, 2025 |work=[[The Plain Dealer]]}}</ref> Over the course of her career, she has received frequent criticism for the limitations of her vocal capabilities, especially in comparison to contemporary artists such as [[Whitney Houston]] and [[Mariah Carey]].<ref>{{citation|author=Stephen Holden|title=Big Stars, Big Bucks and the Big Gamble|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 7, 1991|page=A.24|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> In comparing her vocal technique to Houston and [[Aretha Franklin]], vocal coach Roger Love states that "[w]hen Janet sings, she allows a tremendous amount of air to come through. She's obviously aiming for a sexy, sultry effect, and on one level that works nicely. But actually, it's fairly limited." He adds that while her voice is suitable for studio recording, it doesn't translate well to the stage because despite having "great songs, incredible dancing, and her star-like presence, the live show is still magnificent. But the voice is not the star."<ref>{{Citation|author1=Roger Love |author2=Donna Frazier |title=Set Your Voice Free: How To Get The Singing Or Speaking Voice You Want|publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company]]|year=2009|isbn=978-0-316-09294-4}}</ref>

Biographer David Ritz commented, "on Janet's albums—and in her videos and live performances, which revealed a crisp, athletic dance technique [...] singing wasn't the point," saying emphasis was placed on "her slamming beats, infectious hooks, and impeccable production values."<ref name="Janet Jackson: Biography: Rolling Stone" /> Eric Henderson of ''[[Slant magazine]]'' claimed critics opposing her small voice "somehow missed the explosive 'gimme a beat' vocal pyrotechnics she unleashes all over 'Nasty'&nbsp;... Or that they completely dismissed how perfect her tremulous hesitance fits into the abstinence anthem 'Let's Wait Awhile'."<ref>{{Citation|last=Henderson |first=Eric |title=Slant Magazine Music Review: Janet Jackson: Control |work=[[Slant Magazine|Slant]] |year=2003 |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=367 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031219232155/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=367 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 19, 2003 |access-date=June 30, 2008}}</ref> Classical composer [[Louis Andriessen]] has praised Jackson for her "[[Tempo rubato|rubato]], sense of rhythm, sensitivity, and the childlike quality of her strangely erotic voice."<ref name="Louis">{{citation|last=Andriessen|first=Louis|author2=Maja Trochimczyk|title=The music of Louis Andriessen|publisher=Routledge|page=61|year=2002|isbn=978-0-8153-3789-8}}</ref>

Several critics also consider her voice to often be enveloped within her music's production. Wendy Robinson of ''[[PopMatters]]'' said "the power of Janet Jackson's voice does not lie in her pipes. She doesn't blow, she whispers&nbsp;... Jackson's confectionary vocals are masterfully complemented by gentle harmonies and balanced out by pulsing rhythms, so she's never unpleasant to listen to."<ref name="PopMatters">{{Citation|url=https://www.popmatters.com/review/jacksonjanet-rhythm/|title=Janet Jackson: Rhythm Nation Compilation|work=PopMatters|author=Robinson, Wendy|date=February 9, 2014|access-date=February 9, 2014|archive-date=September 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902093416/http://www.popmatters.com/review/jacksonjanet-rhythm/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Matthew Perpetua of ''[[Fluxblog]]'' suggested Jackson's vocal techniques as a study for [[indie rock]] music, considering it to possess "a somewhat subliminal effect on the listener, guiding and emphasizing dynamic shifts without distracting attention from its primal hooks." Perpetua added: "Her voice effortlessly transitions from a rhythmic toughness to soulful emoting to a flirty softness without overselling any aspect of her performance&nbsp;... a continuum of emotions and attitudes that add up to the impression that we're listening to the expression of a {{Sic|hide=y|fully|-}}formed human being with contradictions and complexities."<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.fluxblog.org/2008/07/your-new-influences-1.html |title=FLUXBLOG: New, Unusual, Trendy, and Zany |work=Fluxblog |publisher=Perpetua, Matthew |date=July 2, 2008 |access-date=February 20, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012061052/http://www.fluxblog.org/2008/07/your-new-influences-1.html |archive-date=October 12, 2008 }}</ref>

Jackson's music has encompassed a broad range of genres. Her records from the 1980s have been described as being influenced by [[Prince (musician)|Prince]], as her producers are ex-members of [[The Time (band)|the Time]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Pareles |first=Jon |title=Pop and Jazz Guide |date=April 25, 1986 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |pages=C.23 |issn=0362-4331 |author-link=Jon Pareles}}</ref> Sal Cinquemani wrote that in addition to defining [[Top 40]] radio, she "gave Prince's [[Minneapolis sound]] a distinctly feminine—and, with songs like 'What Have You Done for Me Lately?,' 'Nasty,' 'Control,' and 'Let's Wait Awhile,' a distinctly feminist—spin."<ref name="SCNO">{{citation|last=Cinquemani |first=Sal |title=Janet Jackson: Number Ones |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=1921 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091116213353/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=1921 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 16, 2009 |work=[[Slant Magazine]] |date=November 19, 2009 |access-date=November 19, 2009}}</ref>

On ''Control'', Richard J. Ripani documented that she, Jam, and Lewis had "crafted a new sound that fuses the rhythmic elements of funk and disco, along with heavy doses of synthesizers, percussion, sound effects, and a rap music sensibility."<ref name="The New Blue Music" /> Author [[Rickey Vincent]] stated that she has often been credited for redefining the standard of popular music with the industrial music beats of the album.<ref name="Vincent">{{Citation| last = Vincent | first = Rickey | author2 = George Clinton | title = Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of The One | publisher = Macmillan | year = 1996 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/funkmusicpeopler00vinc/page/272 272, 284] | isbn = 978-0-312-13499-0 | url = https://archive.org/details/funkmusicpeopler00vinc/page/272 }}</ref> She is considered a trendsetter in pop balladry, with Richard Rischar stating "the black pop ballad of the mid-1980s had been dominated by the vocal and production style that was smooth and polished, led by singers Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and [[James Ingram]]."<ref>{{citation|author=Richard Rischar|title=A Vision of Love: An Etiquette of Vocal Ornamentation in African-American Popular Ballads of the Early 1990s|journal=American Music|volume=22|issue=3|pages=407–443|year=2004|doi=10.2307/3592985|jstor=3592985|issn = 0734-4392 }}</ref>

Jackson continued her musical development by blending pop and urban music with elements of hip-hop in the nineties. This included a softer representation, articulated by lush, soulful ballads and up-tempo dance beats.<ref>{{citation|last=Miller|first=Michael|title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music History|publisher=Penguin Group|page=[https://archive.org/details/completeidiots00mill/page/205 205]|year=2008|isbn=978-1-59257-751-4|url=https://archive.org/details/completeidiots00mill/page/205}}</ref> She is described by music critic [[Greg Kot]] as "an artist who has reshaped the sound and image of rhythm and blues" within the first decade of her career.<ref>{{citation|author=Greg Kot|title=Fighting Another Grammy Whammy 'Janet' Producers Defend Jackson's Role|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=February 28, 1994|page=5|issn=1085-6706}}</ref> Critic Karla Peterson remarked that "she is a sharp dancer, an appealing performer, and as 'That's the Way Love Goes' proves—an ace pop-song writer."<ref name="Peterson">{{citation|author=Karla Peterson|title=Pop goes Janet in concert full of programmed flash|newspaper=[[U-T San Diego]]|date=February 26, 1994|page=E.6}}</ref> Selected material from the following decade has been viewed less favorably, as Sal Cinquemani comments "except for maybe R.E.M., no other former superstar act has been as prolific with such diminishing commercial and creative returns."<ref name="SCNO" />

Jackson has changed her lyrical focus over the years, becoming the subject of analysis in [[musicology]], [[African American studies]], and [[gender studies]].<ref name="Smith 1996 324">{{harvnb|Smith|1996|p=324}}</ref><ref name="TSR">{{citation|last=Reynolds|first=Simon|author2=Joy Press|title=The Sex Revolts: Gender, Rebellion, and Rock 'n' Roll|publisher=[[Harvard University Press]]|page=[https://archive.org/details/sexrevoltsgender00reyn/page/297 297]|year=1996|isbn=978-0-674-80273-5|url=https://archive.org/details/sexrevoltsgender00reyn/page/297}}</ref> David Ritz compared Jackson's musical style to Marvin Gaye's, stating, "like Marvin, autobiography seemed the sole source of her music. Her art, also like Marvin's, floated over a reservoir of secret pain."<ref name="Sex, sadness & the triumph of Janet Jackson" /> Much of her success has been attributed to "a series of powerful, metallic grooves; her chirpy, multi-tracked vocals; and a lyrical philosophy built on pride and self-knowledge."<ref>{{citation|last=MacCambridge|first=Michael|title=Worth a note|newspaper=[[Austin American-Statesman]]|page=G.2|date=October 19, 1989}}</ref> Ritz also stated, "The mystery is the low flame that burns around the perimeters of Janet Jackson's soul. The flame feeds off the most highly combustible elements: survival and ambition, caution and creativity, supreme confidence and dark fear."<ref name="Sex, sadness & the triumph of Janet Jackson" />

During the 1980s, her lyrics embodied [[self-actualization]], feminist principles, and politically driven ideology.<ref name="TSR" /><ref name="Lilly">{{citation|last=Goren|first=Lilly|author-link=Lilly Goren|title=You've Come A Long Way, Baby: Women, Politics, and Popular Culture|publisher=[[University Press of Kentucky]]|page=61|year=2009|isbn=978-0-8131-2544-2}}</ref> Gillian G. Gaar described ''Control'' as "an autobiographical tale about her life with her parents, her first marriage, and breaking free."<ref name="She's a rebel" /> [[Jessie Carney Smith]] wrote "with that album, she asserted her independence, individuality, and personal power. She challenged audiences to see her as a transformed person, from an [[Ingenue (stock character)|ingénue]] to a grow-up, multi-talented celebrity."<ref name="EAAPC">{{citation|author=Jessie Carney Smith|title=Encyclopedia of African American Popular Culture|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2010|pages=738, 739|isbn=978-0-313-35797-8}}</ref> Referring to ''Rhythm Nation 1814'' as an embodiment of hope, Timothy E. Scheurer wrote "It may remind some of [[Sly Stone]] prior to [[There's a Riot Goin' On|There's a Riot Going On]] and other African-American artists of the 1970s in its [[tacit assumption]] that the world imagined by [[Martin Luther King Jr.|Dr. King]] is still possible, that the [[American Dream]] is a dream for all people."<ref>{{citation | author=Timothy E. Scheurer | title = Born in the USA: The Myth of America in Popular Music from Colonial Times to the Present | publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]] | year = 2007 | page = 224 | isbn =978-1-934110-56-0}}</ref>

On ''Janet'', Jackson began focusing on sexual themes. Shayne Lee wrote that her music over the following decade "brand[ed] her as one of the most sexually stimulating vocalists of the 1990s."<ref name="ER">{{citation|author=Shayne Lee|title=Erotic Revolutionaries: Black Women, Sexuality, and Popular Culture|publisher=Government Institutes|year=2010|pages=12–16|isbn=978-0-7618-5228-5}}</ref> [[Lilly Goren|Lilly J. Goren]] observed, "Jackson's evolution from politically aware musician to sexy diva marked the direction that society and the music industry were encouraging the dance-rock divas to pursue."<ref name="Lilly" /> ''The Washington Post'' declared Jackson's public image over the course of her career had shifted "from innocence to experience, inspiring such carnal albums as 1993's 'Janet' and 1997's 'The Velvet Rope', the latter of which explored the bonds—figuratively and literally—of love and lust."<ref name="Klein">{{Citation | last= Klein| first=Joshua | title=Janet Jackson's Lighthearted Lament About Lost Love | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | page= C01 | date=April 25, 2001}}</ref>

The song "Free Xone" from ''The Velvet Rope'', which portrays [[same-sex relationship]]s in a positive light, is described by sociologist Shayne Lee as "a rare incident in which a popular black vocalist explores romantic or sensual energy outside the contours of [[heteronormativity]], making it a significant song in black sexual politics."<ref name="ER" /> During the promotion for ''Janet'', she stated "I love feeling deeply sexual—and don't mind letting the world know. For me, sex has become a celebration, a joyful part of the creative process."<ref name="Sexual Healing" />

Upon the release of ''Damita Jo'', Jackson stated "Beginning with the earlier albums, exploring—and liberating—my sexuality has been an ongoing discovery and theme," adding "As an artist, that's not only my passion, it's my obligation."<ref name=upscale>{{cite book |first=David |last=Ritz |year=2004 |title=The Naked Truth |page=64| publisher = Upscale}}</ref> Stephen Thomas Erlewine has found Jackson's consistent inclusion of sex in her music lacking ingenuity, especially in comparisons to other artists such as Prince, stating "while sex indisputably fuels much great pop music, it isn't an inherently fascinating topic for pop music—as with anything, it all depends on the artist."<ref name="STE">{{Citation |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |title=''Damita Jo'' |publisher=AllMusic |year=2004 |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r680820 |access-date=February 8, 2009 |archive-date=March 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305130000/https://pixels.ad.gt/api/v1/getpixels?tagger_id=7628a6611852e35ce2be09b26135f8dc&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.allmusic.com%2Falbum%2Fdamita-jo-mw0000696985&code=%27none%27 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Videos and stage ===
{{See also|Janet Jackson videography}}

Jackson drew inspiration for her music videos and performances from musicals she watched in her youth, and was heavily influenced by the choreography of [[Fred Astaire]] and [[Michael Kidd]], among others.<ref name="Envisioning">{{Citation| last = Mitoma | first = Judy| title = Envisioning dance on film and video | publisher=Routledge | year = 2002 | page = 16 | isbn = 978-0-415-94171-6 | author2= Judith Mitoma| author3= Elizabeth Zimmer| author4= Dale Ann Stieber| author5= Nelli Heinonen| author6= Norah Zuniga Shaw}}</ref> Throughout her career, she has worked with and brought numerous professional choreographers to prominence, such as [[Tina Landon]], Paula Abdul, and Michael Kidd.<ref>{{Citation| last = Cutcher | first = Jenai | title = Feel the Beat: Dancing in Music Videos | publisher = The Rosen Publishing Group | year = 2003 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/feelbeat00jena/page/14 14–16] | isbn = 978-0-8239-4558-0 | url = https://archive.org/details/feelbeat00jena/page/14 }}</ref> Veronica Chambers declared, "Her impact on pop music is undeniable and far-reaching," adding, "A quick glance at the ''Billboard'' chart reveals any number of artists cast in the Janet Jackson mold." Chambers observed numerous videos which "features not only Ms. Jackson's dancers, but choreography and sets remarkably like those she has used."<ref>{{cite news|title=She's Not Anybody's Baby Sister Anymore|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Chambers, Veronica|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/07/arts/she-s-not-anybody-s-baby-sister-anymore.html|date=September 7, 1997|access-date=March 7, 2014|archive-date=March 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311015829/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/07/arts/she-s-not-anybody-s-baby-sister-anymore.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Janine Coveney of ''Billboard'' observed that "Jackson's musical declaration of independence [''Control''] launched a string of hits, an indelible production sound, and an enduring image cemented by groundbreaking video choreography and imagery that pop vocalists still emulate."<ref name="Janet's Juggernaut" /> Ben Hogwood of ''[[MusicOMH]]'' applauded the "huge influence she has become on younger pretenders to her throne," most notably Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and [[Christina Aguilera]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicomh.com/music/dvds/janet-jackson.htm |title=Janet Jackson – From Janet. To Damita Jo: The Videos – music DVD reviews |work=MusicOMH |publisher=Hogwood, Ben |year=2004 |access-date=December 25, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513191906/http://www.musicomh.com/music/dvds/janet-jackson.htm |archive-date=May 13, 2013 }}</ref> Qadree EI-Amin remarked that many pop artists "pattern their performances after Janet's proven dance-diva persona."<ref name="crossroads">{{Citation | last1 = Norment | first1 = Lynn | title = Janet: At the crossroads | volume = 56 | issue = 1 | page = 180 | newspaper=Ebony | date = November 1, 2000 | issn = 0012-9011}}</ref> Beretta E. Smith-Shomade wrote that "Jackson's impact on the music video sphere came largely through music sales successes, which afforded her more visual liberties and control. This assuming of control directly impacted the look and content of her music videos, giving Jackson an agency not assumed by many other artists—male or female, Black or White."<ref name="Beretta">{{citation|author=Beretta E. Smith-Shomade|title=Shaded Lives: African-American Women and Television|publisher=Rutgers University Press|year=2002|page=86}}</ref>

''Parallel Lines: Media Representations of Dance'' (1993) documents that her videos have often been reminiscent of live concerts or elaborate musical theater.<ref name="PL">{{citation|author1=Stephanie Jordan |author2=Dave Allen |title=Parallel Lines: Media Representations of Dance|publisher=Indiana University Press|year=1993|page=68}}</ref> However, in her 30-minute ''Rhythm Nation 1814'' film, Jackson utilizes street dancing techniques in contrast to traditional choreography.<ref name="PL" /> The group dynamic visually embodies gender-neutral equality, with Jackson "performing asexually and anonymously in front of, but as one of the members of the group."<ref>{{citation|author1=Helmi Järviluoma |author2=Pirkko Moisala |author3=Anni Vilkko |title=Gender and Qualitative Methods|publisher=[[SAGE Publications]]|year=2003|page=92|isbn=978-0-7619-6585-5}}</ref> Her music videos have also contributed to a higher degree of sexual freedom among young women, with Jackson "heavily implying male-on-female oral sex in music videos by pushing down on a man's head until he's in exactly the right position."<ref>{{citation|author=Jean M. Twenge|title=Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled—and More Miserable Than Ever Before|publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]|year=2007|page=167}}</ref> However, accusations of cosmetic surgery, skin lightening, and increasingly hypersexual imagery have led to her being viewed as conforming to a white, male-dominated view of sexuality, rather than liberating herself or others.<ref name="Beretta" />

Jackson received the [[MTV Video Vanguard Award]] for her contributions to the art form, and she became the first recipient of the MTV Icon tribute, celebrating her impact on the music industry as a whole. In 2003, ''Slant Magazine'' named "Rhythm Nation" and "Got 'til It's Gone" among the 100 Greatest Music Videos of all time, ranked at number 87 and number 10, respectively.<ref>{{citation|author=Sal Cinquemani and Ed Gonzalez|title=100 Greatest Music Videos|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/feature/100-greatest-music-videos/205/page_10|work=Slant Magazine|date=June 30, 2003|access-date=March 9, 2012|archive-date=January 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110110203/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/feature/100-greatest-music-videos/205/page_10|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, "Rhythm Nation" was voted the tenth best music video of the 1980s by ''Billboard''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/468693/the-10-best-80s-music-videos-poll-results|title=The 10 Best '80s Music Videos: Poll Results|last=Letkemann|first=Jessica|magazine=Billboard|date=August 1, 2011|access-date=August 1, 2011|archive-date=February 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201055739/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/468693/the-10-best-80s-music-videos-poll-results|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[The Independent Newspaper|Independent]] Journalist Nicholas Barber stated "Janet's concerts are the pop equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie, with all the explosions, special effects, ersatz sentimentality, gratuitous cleavage, and emphasis on spectacle over coherence that the term implies."<ref name="Glasgow">{{Citation |last=Barber | first=Nicholas | title=Rock music: Janet Jackson gets lost in her own limelight | newspaper=[[The Independent]] | page=6 | date=June 7, 1998}}</ref>
''Jet'' magazine reported "Janet's innovative stage performances during her world tours have won her a reputation as a world-class performer."<ref>{{citation|title=Janet Jackson receives American Music Awards' Top Honor Highlighting Stellar Career|newspaper=Jet|volume=99|issue=7|date=January 29, 2001|page=56|issn=0021-5996}}</ref> Chris Willman of the ''Los Angeles Times'' stated the "enthralling" choreography of Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour "represents the pinnacle of what can be done in the popping 'n' locking style—a rapid-fire mixture of rigidly jerky and gracefully fluid movements."<ref name="Chris Willman">{{Citation| last1 = Willman | first1 = Chris | title = Pop Music Review Janet Jackson's Dance of Community| page = 1 | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date = April 23, 1990 | issn = 0458-3035}}</ref> When Jackson was asked "do you understand it when people talk about [The Velvet Rope Tour] in terms of Broadway?", she responded, "I'm crazy about Broadway ... That's what I grew up on."<ref name="broadway" />

Her "Number Ones: Up Close and Personal" tour deviated from the full-scale theatrics found in her previous concert arena settings in favor of smaller venues. Critics noted being scaled down did not affect the impact of her showmanship, and in some cases, enhanced it. Greg Kot of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' wrote, "In past tours, Jackson's thin voice was often swallowed up by the sheer size of her production&nbsp;... In the more scaled-down setting, Jackson brought a warmth and a passion that wasn't always evident in stadiums&nbsp;... the best Janet Jackson performance I've covered in 20-plus years."<ref>{{citation|author=Glenn Gamboa|title=The magnificent 7 Our critic's take on Janet Jackson's top hits before her musical comeback|newspaper=[[Newsday]]|date=March 18, 2011|page=B.15}}</ref>

Thor Christensen of ''[[The Dallas Morning News]]'' reported Jackson often [[lip sync]]s in concert; he wrote: "Janet Jackson—one of pop's most notorious onstage lip-syncers—conceded&nbsp;... she uses 'some' taped vocals to augment her live vocals. But she refused to say what percentage of her concert 'voice' is taped and how much is live."<ref name="lip-sync">{{Citation| last1 = Christensen | first1 = Thor | title = Loose Lips: Pop Singers' Lip-Syncing In Concert Is An Open Secret| page = B.8 | newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] | date = September 15, 2001 | issn = 1068-624X}}</ref> Michael MacCambridge of the ''[[Austin American-Statesman]]'', who reviewed Jackson's Rhythm Nation World Tour, described lip-syncing as a "moot point", stating "Jackson was frequently singing along with her own pre-recorded vocals, to achieve a sound closer to radio versions of singles."<ref name="MacCambridge">{{Citation |last=MacCambridge | first=Michael | title=A lesson in 'Control' – Janet Jackson delivers precise, sparkling show | newspaper=[[Austin American-Statesman]] | page=B.8 | date=July 6, 1990}}</ref> MacCambridge also observed "it seemed unlikely that anyone—even a prized member of the First Family of Soul Music—could dance like she did for 90 minutes and still provide the sort of powerful vocals that the '90s super concerts are expected to achieve."<ref name="MacCambridge" />

Similarly, Chris Willman commented, "even a classically trained vocalist would be hard-pressed to maintain any sort of level of volume—or, more appropriately, 'Control'—while bounding up and down stairs and whipping limbs in unnatural directions at impeccable, breakneck speed."<ref name="Chris Willman" /> Critics observed that in the smaller scale of her "Number Ones: Up Close and Personal" tour, she forwent lip-syncing.<ref>{{citation|title=First-Person Reflections on a Pop Career|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/21/arts/music/janet-jacksons-number-ones-at-radio-city-review.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 20, 2011|access-date=April 1, 2011|first=Ben|last=Ratliff}}</ref> Chris Richards of ''The Washington Post'' stated "even at its breathiest, that delicate voice hasn't lost the laserlike precision."<ref name="CR">{{citation|author=Chris Richards|title=Janet Jackson lets fans see her sweat with energized Constitution Hall show|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/janet-jackson-lets-fans-see-her-sweat-with-energized-constitution-hall-show/2011/03/23/ABtaY8KB_story.html|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=March 23, 2011|access-date=April 1, 2011}}</ref>

=== Influences ===
Jackson describes Lena Horne as a profound inspiration, for entertainers of several generations as well as herself. Upon Horne's death, she stated "[Horne] brought much joy into everyone's lives—even the younger generations, younger than myself. She was such a great talent. She opened up such doors for artists like myself."<ref>{{citation|title=Sultry songstress Lena Horne dies|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/may/10/legendary-singer-lena-horne-dies/|newspaper=The Washington Times|date=May 10, 2010|access-date=July 12, 2010}}</ref> Similarly, she considers [[Dorothy Dandridge]] to be one of her idols.<ref>{{citation|author=Liz Smith|title=Janet Jackson as Dandridge?|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=June 4, 1993|page=2|issn=0458-3035}}</ref>

Jackson has declared herself "a very big Joni Mitchell fan", explaining: "As a kid I was drawn to Joni Mitchell records [...] Joni's songs spoke to me in an intimate, personal way."<ref>{{citation|last=Penn|first=Roberta|title=Janet Jackson digs deep and gets personal in latest album|newspaper=[[The Fresno Bee]]|date=September 5, 1997|page=E.4|issn=0889-6070}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Janet Jackson Returns with Hit Album and New Look|newspaper=Jet|volume=92|issue=26|page=60|date=November 17, 1997}}</ref> She holds reverence for Tina Turner, stating "Tina has become a heroic figure for many people, especially women, because of her tremendous strength. Personally, Tina doesn't seem to have a beginning or an end in my life. I felt her music was always there, and I feel like it always will be."<ref>{{citation|title=The Immortals – The Greatest Artists of All Time: 61) Tina Turner|newspaper=Rolling Stone|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/7248197/the_immortals__the_greatest_artists_of_all_time_61_tina_turner|date=April 22, 2005|access-date=April 26, 2009|archive-date=May 3, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503075540/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/7248197/the_immortals__the_greatest_artists_of_all_time_61_tina_turner|url-status=dead}}</ref> She has also named other socially conscious acts, such as [[Tracy Chapman]], [[Sly and the Family Stone]], [[U2]], and [[Bob Dylan]] as sources of inspiration.<ref name="She's a rebel" /><ref>{{citation|author=Kevin Phinney|title=Jackson takes control on latest album // Songstress instrumental in signing producers, writing lyrics for 'Rhythm Nation'|newspaper=Austin American-Statesman|date=September 21, 1989|page=F.2}}</ref>

In her early career, Jackson credited her brothers Michael and Jermaine Jackson as musical influences.<ref name="Sex, sadness & the triumph of Janet Jackson">{{Citation | last = Ritz | first = David | title = Sex, sadness & the triumph of Janet Jackson | magazine = Rolling Stone | date = October 1, 1998 | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938082/sex_sadness__the_triumph_of_janet_jackson | access-date = April 23, 2008 | archive-date = August 24, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070824000643/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938082/sex_sadness__the_triumph_of_janet_jackson | url-status = dead }}</ref>