Editing Jennifer Lopez (section)

==Artistry==
===Influences===

Lopez has cited [[Madonna]] as her "first big musical influence", explaining "It was all about Madonna for me. She inspired me to want to sing, to dance, to work hard."<ref>{{cite web|last=Miller |first=Prairie |title=NY Rock Interview with Jennifer Lopez |url=http://www.nyrock.com/interviews/2002/lopez_int3.asp |date=December 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021220071343/http://www.nyrock.com/interviews/2002/lopez_int3.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 20, 2002 |work=NY Rock |access-date=February 12, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stylist.co.uk/people/how-why-this-photo-of-madonna-changed-jennifer-lopezs-life-interview-inspiration-career/25705|title=How this image of Madonna changed Jennifer Lopez's life|work=[[Stylist (magazine)|Stylist]]|date=October 22, 2015|first=Anna|last=Pollitt|access-date=February 20, 2021}}</ref> Her other major influences include [[Tina Turner]], [[James Brown]], and [[Michael Jackson]].<ref name="10 Questions for Lopez">{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1673250,00.html |title=10 Questions for Jennifer Lopez |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=October 18, 2007 |access-date=August 18, 2012|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021032212/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1673250,00.html|archive-date=October 21, 2007}}</ref> Another major influence on Lopez is [[Barbra Streisand]], stating that, "watching her career over the years, watching her sing and act and direct, was very inspiring to me."<ref name=GiftedActress/> Lopez has cited [[Janet Jackson]] as a major inspiration for her own dance and videos, stating that she "probably started dancing" because of Jackson's music video for "[[The Pleasure Principle (song)#Music video|The Pleasure Principle]]".<ref name="timesofindia">{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/music/news/India-is-on-my-mind-Jennifer-Lopez/articleshow/15631085.cms|title=India is on my mind: Jennifer Lopez|work=[[The Times of India]]|publisher=Chowdary, Asa|date=August 25, 2012|access-date=August 30, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Schiller |first1=Rebecca |title=Jennifer Lopez on Working With Cardi B, Why Janet Jackson Is an Idol at Billboard Music Awards: Watch |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/bbma/8456933/jennifer-lopez-interview-billboard-music-awards-2018-video |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=September 24, 2019 |date=May 20, 2018}}</ref> She also looked to the careers of [[Cher]], [[Bette Middler]] and [[Diana Ross]],<ref name="Parish2" /> and has been inspired by younger artists such as [[Lady Gaga]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a325337/jennifer-lopez-lady-gaga-inspires-me/|title=Jennifer Lopez: 'Lady GaGa inspires me'
|first=Tom|last=Eames|publisher=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=February 2, 2020|date=June 16, 2011}}</ref>

Growing up, she was influenced by Latin music styles ranging from [[salsa (music)|salsa]] to [[Bachata (music)|bachata]], and artists including [[Celia Cruz]] and [[Tito Puente]]. However, it was the hip hop song "[[Rapper's Delight]]" (1979) by [[The Sugarhill Gang]] that she said changed her life.<ref>{{harvnb|Parish|2009|pp=13–14}}</ref> Another key inspiration for Lopez in her youth was Puerto Rican actress [[Rita Moreno]]'s performance in the musical film ''[[West Side Story (1961 film)|West Side Story]]'' (1961). Moreno was the only performer Lopez was able to identify with, at a time when Latinos were rarely on television.<ref>{{harvnb|Parish|2009|pp=9–11}}</ref>

===Musical style===
{{Listen
| pos = right
| filename = Waiting for Tonight.ogg
| title = "Waiting for Tonight"
| description = A sample of "[[Waiting for Tonight]]", a [[Europop|Euro]]-centric [[dance-pop]] song with distinctly [[Latin American music|Latin]] influences, which Lopez is known for incorporating in her music. It was credited with establishing her as a leading artist in the dance-pop genre.<ref name="Variety" /><ref name="Malone">{{cite magazine |last1=Malone |first1=Chris |title=Jennifer Lopez's 'On the 6' at 20: All the Tracks Ranked |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/jennifer-lopez-on-the-6-album-tracks-ranked-8513814/ |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=February 22, 2024 |date=June 1, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Lockett" />
}}

Musically, Lopez is described as a "chameleon" by outlets like ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' and ''[[Forbes]]'', having been known to experiment and jump between genres.<ref name="Variety" /><ref name="Malone" /><ref name="Benjamin">{{cite web |last=Benjamin |first=Jeff |title=Jennifer Lopez & Bad Bunny Team For Tropical-Trap Joint 'Te Gusté': Watch |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbenjamin/2018/11/09/jennifer-lopez-bad-bunny-te-guste-video/#193d083a2c8d |website=[[Forbes]] |access-date=November 10, 2018 |date=November 9, 2018 |archive-date=November 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111001220/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbenjamin/2018/11/09/jennifer-lopez-bad-bunny-te-guste-video/#193d083a2c8d |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Statesman">{{cite web |last1=Mossman |first1=Kate |title=Jennifer Lopez's beautifully unhinged visual album |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/music/2024/02/jennifer-lopez-new-album-review-beautifully-unhinged |website=[[New Statesman]] |access-date=February 23, 2024 |date=February 9, 2024}}</ref> Her music strongly identifies with hip hop while exploring the "romantic innocence" of Latin music.<ref>{{cite book|last=Morales|first=Ed|title=The Latin Beat: The Rhythms And Roots Of Latin Music From Bossa Nova To Salsa And Beyond|url=https://archive.org/details/latinbeatrhythms00mora_0|url-access=registration|year=2003|publisher=Da Capo Press|isbn=078673020X|page=[https://archive.org/details/latinbeatrhythms00mora_0/page/163 163]}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' observed that she has "never been one to downplay her Latinidad, and always makes sure to display it" in her music, "regardless of genre".<ref name="Malone" /> ''On the 6'' and ''J.Lo'', described by Lopez as [[Latin soul]], fuse a wide range of Latin genres with [[contemporary R&B|R&B]] and hip hop, while also containing [[dance-pop]].<ref name="Malone" /><ref name="Woog 55"/><ref name="LA Times 99" /> While mostly English, the albums include some Spanish and bilingual songs such as "[[Cariño (song)|Cariño]]",<ref>{{cite news|title=Latest From Lopez Made for the Mass Market|newspaper=[[The Miami Herald]]|date=January 26, 2001|page=3}}</ref> with Lopez also speaking in Spanish and asserting her Latin identity on songs like "[[Let's Get Loud]]".<ref>{{cite news|last=Tarradell|first=Mario|title=On the 6|newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|date=June 4, 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Tarradell|first=Mario|title=Pop go the Latin acts Do artists leave heritage behind for crossover success?|newspaper=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|date=June 13, 1999}}</ref> A departure from her previous work, ''This Is Me... Then'' blends 1970s [[soul music|soul]] with "streetwise" hip hop.<ref name="Paoletta">{{cite magazine|last=Paoletta|first=Michael|title=Reviews and Previews|magazine=Billboard|date=December 7, 2002|volume= 114| issue = 49|page=65|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Og0EAAAAMBAJ|access-date=April 5, 2013}}</ref> ''Rebirth'' was noted for its "relaxing" atmosphere, while ''Como Ama una Mujer'' was characterized as "silkily Spanish [[Sade (singer)|Sade]] worship".<ref name="Variety" />

Described as autobiographical,<ref>{{cite web|title=How Jennifer Lopez Turned Hitting 'Rock Bottom' Into A Memoir|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jennifer-lopez-_n_6107300|website=HuffPost|access-date=December 26, 2021|date=November 5, 2014}}</ref> much of Lopez's music has centered around the "ups and downs" of love.<ref name="LoveMTV" /> Lyrically, ''This Is Me... Then'' is largely focused on her relationship with [[Ben Affleck]], with the song "Dear Ben" being described as the album's "glowing centerpiece".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-then/|title=Jennifer Lopez: This Is Me... Then|last=Cinquemani|first=Sal|work=[[Slant Magazine]]|date=November 20, 2002|access-date=July 24, 2012}}</ref> Its sequel album, ''This Is Me... Now'', was informed by her reunion and marriage with Affleck; Lopez called it an "emotional, spiritual, and psychological journey of the past two decades".<ref name="ThisIsMeNow_Variety">{{Cite magazine |last=Garcia |first=Thania |date=November 25, 2022 |title=Jennifer Lopez Announces First Album in Eight Years, 'This Is Me... Now' |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-now-new-album-1235441065/ |url-status=live |magazine=Variety |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308082456/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-now-new-album-1235441065/ |archive-date=March 8, 2023 |access-date=July 22, 2023}}</ref> ''Como Ama una Mujer'' features introspective lyrics about romance, heartache and self-loathing.<ref name="CAUM">{{cite news |url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2007/03/27/lopez_turns_the_lights_down_low/ |title= Lopez turns the lights down low |work=[[Boston Globe]] |date=March 27, 2007 |access-date=December 26, 2021 |first=James |last=Reed |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021233216/http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2007/03/27/lopez_turns_the_lights_down_low/ |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Regarding ''Love?'', Lopez stated: "There's still so much to learn and that's why the question mark."<ref name="LoveMTV">{{cite web|last=Dinh|first=James|title=J.Lo Contemplates 'Love' (And Love?) Through The Years|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2581006/jlo-contemplates-love-and-love-through-the-years/|publisher=MTV|access-date=December 26, 2021|date=May 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727042918/http://newsroom.mtv.com/2011/05/03/jlo-contemplates-love-and-love-through-the-years/|archive-date=July 27, 2013}}</ref> Other recurrent themes in Lopez's music have included her upbringing in the Bronx,<ref name="LA Times 99" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Williott|first=Carl|title=Jennifer Lopez Reminds Us She's The "Same Girl" In Music Video Teaser: Watch|url=http://www.idolator.com/7501076/jennifer-lopez-same-girl-music-video-teaser|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140308161025/http://www.idolator.com/7501076/jennifer-lopez-same-girl-music-video-teaser|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 8, 2014|access-date=March 8, 2014|newspaper=[[Idolator (website)|Idolator]]|date=January 13, 2014}}</ref> [[social class]]<ref name="Statesman" /> and [[women's empowerment]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=George|first1=Kat|title=J-Lo is the feminist celebrity icon you never knew you had|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/30372/1/j-lo-is-the-feminist-celebrity-icon-you-never-knew-you-had|website=[[Dazed]]|publisher=Waddell Limited|access-date=December 1, 2016|date=March 15, 2016}}</ref>

Lopez has received mixed reviews for her "light" [[soubrette]] voice,<ref name="Philly">{{cite journal |last1=Amorosi |first1=A.D. |title=J-Lo's doing it well, singing and dancing in A.C. |journal=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |date=July 31, 2012 |url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/entertainment/20120731_J-Lo_s_doing_it_well__singing_and_dancing_in_A_C_.html |access-date=February 22, 2024}}</ref> which critics have deemed limited, "radio-friendly" and overshadowed by her music's production.<ref name=vocall>{{cite web|title=Jennifer Lopez finds her voice on new album|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2011/02/02/jennifer-lopez-finds-her-voice-on-new-album/#more-72798|work=[[Rap-Up]] |publisher=SpinMedia|access-date=February 12, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Henderling|first=Lisa|title=Revolutions|work=Vibe|date=December 2007|volume= 15| issue = 12|page=107 |issn=1070-4701}}</ref> With ''On the 6'', ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' regarded Lopez as having a "breathy" stylistic range but lacking personality,<ref>{{cite news |last=Considine|first=J.D.|title=Actress Jennifer Lopez can sing, but it isn't enough|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|date=June 3, 1999 |issn=1930-8965}}</ref> while ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' remarked: "Instead of strained vocal pyrotechnics, Lopez sticks to the understated R&B murmur of a round-the-way superstar who doesn't need to belt because she knows you're already paying attention ... She makes a little va-va and a whole lot of voom go a long way."<ref name="Rolling">{{cite news |last=Sheffield|first=Rob|title=On the 6|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/on-the-6-202206/|magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=April 8, 2013|date=July 8, 1999}}</ref>

In reviewing ''Love?'', [[AllMusic]] called her voice "slight" and wrote: "Lopez was never, ever about singing; she was about style".<ref name="Erlewine">{{cite web|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=love-r2142805|pure_url=yes}}|title= Love? – Jennifer Lopez |website=[[AllMusic]]|date=April 19, 2011|access-date=May 3, 2011}}</ref> ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' described her "notoriously serviceable, airy and light" voice as being "stronger than ever" on ''This Is Me... Now'', while noting that "the thinness of the voice has often been beside the point, if not a boon to her early career", which was marked by "Bronx regularness".<ref name=Pitchfork>{{cite web |last=Escobedo Shepherd |first=Julianne |date=February 22, 2024 |title=Jennifer Lopez: This Is Me... Now Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-now/ |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |access-date=February 22, 2024}}</ref> Lopez has been criticized for her use of background vocals from [[demo (music)|demo]] singers, prompting rumors of [[playback singer|ghost singers]]' vocals being used in place of her own.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Myers |first1=Owen |title=Up next is ... JLo? When pop stars crash karaoke |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/15/karaoke-jlo-jennifer-lopez-pop-stars |website=The Guardian |access-date=February 22, 2024 |date=August 15, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gariano |first1=Francesca |title=Ayo Edebiri seemingly owns up to her Jennifer Lopez 'scam' comments during 'SNL' sketch |url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/ayo-edebiri-seemingly-owns-up-to-her-jennifer-lopez-scam-comments-during-snl-sketch/3452793/ |publisher=[[KXAS-TV|NBC Dallas-Fort Worth]] |access-date=February 22, 2024 |date=February 4, 2024}}</ref> The rumors have been debunked by producers and background singers who worked with Lopez.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Juzwiak |first1=Rich |title=Ashanti Did Sing on 'I'm Real,' Duh |url=https://jezebel.com/ashanti-did-sing-on-im-real-duh-1839609233 |website=[[Jezebel (website)|Jezebel]] |access-date=February 22, 2024 |date=November 4, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Milian">{{cite web |last1=Bell |first1=Sadie |title=Christina Milian Has No Beef with Jennifer Lopez over 'Play': 'Couldn't Believe at 19 Years Old I Wrote a Song for J.Lo' |url=https://people.com/christina-milian-no-beef-with-jennifer-lopez-over-recording-her-song-play-7972136 |website=People |access-date=February 22, 2024 |date=September 20, 2023}}</ref> [[Christina Milian]], who is credited as a writer and background singer on "[[Play (Jennifer Lopez song)|Play]]", called the controversy "funny" and said: "It's no different than Michael Jackson having background singers on songs or [[Britney Spears]]. This is what music is made of."<ref name="Milian" />

===Dance, videos and stage===

[[File:The opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup 2014 13 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Lopez performing during the [[2014 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony]] in [[Brazil]]]]

Considered one of dance's "greatest success stories",<ref name="Variety July 2016" /> Lopez has received praise for her highly choreographed dancing,<ref name="Philly" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Chou |first1=Jessica |title=11 Of Pop's Most Iconic Dancers, Ranked |url=https://www.refinery29.com/2015/07/91060/best-celebrity-dance-moves#slide-10 |website=[[Refinery29]] |access-date=August 10, 2018 |date=July 22, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jam On: Music's Best Dancers Since Michael Jackson |url=https://www.bet.com/photo-gallery/5qrlis/jam-on-music-s-best-dancers-since-michael-jackson/cavhb3 |publisher=[[BET]] |access-date=February 22, 2024}}</ref> and is noted for her technical skill.<ref>{{harvnb|Ovalle|2011|p=130}}</ref> Lopez, who felt an emotional connection to dance since her youth,<ref name="Dance buzz">{{cite web|last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1659131/jennifer-lopez-on-the-floor-video/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906133832/http://www.mtv.com/news/1659131/jennifer-lopez-on-the-floor-video/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 6, 2014 |title=Jennifer Lopez's 'On The Floor' Video Creates 'Dance Buzz'|publisher=MTV News |date=March 3, 2011 |access-date=May 31, 2013}}</ref> has been trained in a range of dance styles, including ballet, jazz, flamenco, ballroom,<ref name="Shall We Dance? - Interview">{{cite web|last=Boccard |first=Sophia |title=Jennifer Lopez Interview for Shall We Dance? |url=http://www.thecinemasource.com/blog/interviews/jennifer-lopez-interview-for-shall-we-dance/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515014355/http://www.thecinemasource.com/blog/interviews/jennifer-lopez-interview-for-shall-we-dance/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 15, 2011 |publisher=The Cinema Source |access-date=June 30, 2013 |date=January 28, 2008 }}</ref> pole dancing,<ref name="Elena">{{cite web|url=https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a30793262/jennifer-lopez-oscars-snub-hustlers-2020/|title=The Oscars Robbed Us of a Historic Jennifer Lopez Moment—and I Can't Forgive Them |work=OprahDaily|first=Elena|last=Nicolaou|date=February 7, 2020|access-date=June 8, 2022}}</ref> breakdancing, street dance, and hip hop.<ref>{{harvnb|Ovalle|2011|pp=134–136}}</ref> A dominant figure on [[MTV]] since early in her career, she is known for her body-emphasizing music videos and provocative choreography.<ref name="Asia Pacific">{{cite magazine|title=Asia Pacific Quarterly|magazine=Billboard|date=August 7, 1999|volume=111|issue=32|page=56|publisher=[[Nielsen Business Media]]|issn=0006-2510}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Sexual Teens, Sexual Media: Investigating Mediás Influence on Adolescent Sexuality|year=2002|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0805834907|page=260|first1=Jane Delano |last1=Brown |first2=Jeanne R. |last2=Steele |first3=Kim |last3=Walsh-Childers }}</ref> [[CNN]]'s Holly Thomas stated that "Lopez's years of professional dance experience gave her a captivating, commanding presence in her videos."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Holly |title=Super Bowl headliner Jennifer Lopez is the star of bouncing back |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/31/opinions/super-bowl-jennifer-lopez-comeback-thomas/index.html |publisher=[[CNN]] |access-date=February 1, 2020 |date=January 31, 2020}}</ref> Madeline Roth of MTV wrote: "Her diverse videography encompasses some of the most memorable visuals of the 21st century",<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roth |first1=Madeline |title=Jennifer Lopez, Living Icon, Is Your 2018 VMA Video Vanguard |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/3083147/jennifer-lopez-2018-vma-video-vanguard/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801111814/http://www.mtv.com/news/3083147/jennifer-lopez-2018-vma-video-vanguard/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 1, 2018 |publisher=[[MTV]] |access-date=August 5, 2018 |date=July 31, 2018}}</ref> with ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' writer Brittany Spanos observing that her "dancing skills and ability to toy with her own celebrity have made her videos an important part of the new millennium's pop canon".<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Spanos |first1=Brittany |title=5 Artists Who Could Win Future VMA Video Vanguard Awards |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/5-artists-who-could-win-future-vma-video-vanguard-awards-712570/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=August 19, 2018 |date=August 18, 2018}}</ref> Her videography has sometimes attracted controversy for its sexual suggestiveness,<ref name="IBT">{{cite news |last=Costanza|first=Ashley Justine|title=Jennifer Lopez's 'Dance Again' Video Stirs Controversy: Her Five Trashiest Videos|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/jennifer-lopezs-dance-again-video-stirs-controversy-her-five-trashiest-videos-435170|work=International Business Times |access-date=June 30, 2013|date=April 9, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nobody Puts J.Lo's Booty in a Box|url=http://www.etonline.com/news/151961_jennifer_lopez_defends_her_booty_video_talks_scary_car_accident/|website=ETOnline |access-date=December 27, 2014|date=October 1, 2014}}</ref> and has been noted for its influence on [[2000s in fashion|2000s fashion]] trends.<ref name="Fader">{{cite web |last1=Halabian |first1=Layla |title=Never forget that Jennifer Lopez was the queen of early-'00s style |url=https://www.thefader.com/2018/08/07/jennifer-lopez-style-music-video-style-early-aughts-early-2000s-video-vanguard |website=[[The Fader]] |access-date=February 18, 2024 |date=August 7, 2018}}</ref>

On stage, Lopez is recognized for her showmanship, sex appeal, and costumes, which often include [[bodysuit]]s.<ref name="LA Times Vegas">{{cite web|last1=D. Kennery|first1=Gerrick|title=Review Jennifer Lopez gives all she's got – and more – in Vegas|url=https://latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-jennifer-lopez-vegas-20160124-story.html|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=August 20, 2016|date=January 24, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mountford |first1=Jaye |title=Jennifer Lopez Las Vegas Residency Extended: Her Show-Stopping Stage Looks |url=https://www.latintimes.com/jennifer-lopez-las-vegas-residency-extended-her-show-stopping-stage-looks-slideshow-393241 |website=[[IBT Media|Latin Times]] |access-date=February 15, 2024 |date=July 22, 2016}}</ref> Author Priscilla Peña Ovalle stated in ''Dance and the Hollywood Latina: Race, Sex and Stardom'' (2011) that Lopez was one of the Latin stars who "used dance to gain agency as working performers with mainstream careers, yet many of their roles paradoxically racialized and sexualized their bodies".<ref>{{harvnb|Ovalle|2011|pp=3–4}}</ref> Troy Patterson of ''Entertainment Weekly'' also observed that she used her body for emphasis on stage, "She turned herself out as the fly girl hyperversion of postfeminist power, flaunting her control by toying with the threat of excess. In consequence, her star went supernova."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Patterson|first=Troy|title=Rock Frock|url=https://ew.com/article/2000/12/19/jennifer-lopezs-barely-there-grammy-gown-secures-her-pop-kitten-status/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=June 30, 2013|date=December 19, 2000|archive-date=October 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003011745/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,92259,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Her signature movements include "clock-wise pivoting with salsa hip circles and sequential torso undulations".<ref>{{cite book|last=Potuoglu-Cook|first=Oyku|title=Night Shifts: Moral, Economic, and Cultural Politics of Turkish Belly Dance|year=2008|isbn=978-0549541301|page=167}}</ref> While being noted to lip sync in the early stages of career,<ref>{{cite news |title=Lip syncing takes the fun out of seeing an artist live|newspaper=[[Contra Costa Times]]|date=June 21, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Woog|2020|p=56}}</ref> Lopez's Dance Again World Tour was praised for showcasing live vocals and choreography synchronously.<ref name="Philly" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Fuller |first=Bonnie |url=http://hollywoodlife.com/2012/12/05/jennifer-lopez-dance-again-tour-divorce-marc-anthony/ |title=Jennifer Lopez 'Dance Again' Tour — Why She Had to Divorce Marc Anthony |publisher=Hollywood Life |date=December 5, 2012 |access-date=May 31, 2013}}</ref><ref name="filipino">{{cite news|last=Concepcion|first=Pocholo|title=JLo enchants capacity crowd at MOA Arena concert|url=http://entertainment.inquirer.net/69407/jlo-enchants-capacity-crowd-at-moa-arena-concert|newspaper=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]] |access-date=November 27, 2012|date=November 27, 2012}}</ref> In a review of her Las Vegas residency All I Have, ''Los Angeles Times'' writer Nolan Feeney remarked that her dancing is "undoubtedly the centerpiece of the show".<ref name="LA Times Vegas" />

Her provocative stage performances have also drawn scrutiny at times. [[Robin Givhan]] of ''[[The Daily Beast]]'' criticized Lopez's performance at the [[American Music Awards of 2011|2011 American Music Awards]] where she wore a nude bodysuit, stating that it "cried out for attention in all the wrong ways" and was "banal [[exhibitionism]]".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Givhan |first1=Robin |title=Jennifer Lopez's Fashion Blunder at American Music Awards |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jennifer-lopezs-fashion-blunder-at-american-music-awards |website=[[The Daily Beast]] |access-date=February 16, 2024 |date=November 21, 2011}}</ref> In May 2013, her performance on the finale of the television series ''[[Britain's Got Talent]]'' was deemed inappropriate for family-friendly television, and drew viewer complaints to [[Ofcom]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalspy.com.au/british-tv/s107/britains-got-talent/news/a486003/jennifer-lopez-britains-got-talent-producers-said-to-wear-outfit.html |title=Jennifer Lopez: 'Britain's Got Talent producers said to wear outfit' |work=Digital Spy |access-date=May 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604123052/http://www.digitalspy.com.au/british-tv/s107/britains-got-talent/news/a486003/jennifer-lopez-britains-got-talent-producers-said-to-wear-outfit.html |archive-date=June 4, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Following her controversial performance at the musical festival [[Mawazine]] in 2015, Moroccan Prime Minister [[Abdelilah Benkirane]] called it "indecent" and "disgraceful", while an education group claimed that she "disturbed public order and tarnished women's honor and respect".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Shepherd|first1=Jack|title=Jennifer Lopez concert: Moroccan PM demands investigation into 'provocative' performance|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/jennifer-lopez-moroccan-pm-demands-investigation-into-provocative-performance-10304831.html|website=[[The Independent]]|access-date=November 23, 2016|date=June 8, 2015}}</ref>

===Acting and screen===
Lopez's films often see her playing "relatable everywomen",<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Jake |title=Second Act review: Jennifer Lopez's working woman sends mixed messages |url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/second-act-review-20181204-h18q4l.html |website=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=December 6, 2018}}</ref> with Cady Lang of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' writing: "A longtime hallmark of Lopez's filmography is her penchant for stories about survivors. Her characters are never shrinking violets."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Lang |first1=Cady |title=The 16 Best J. Lo Movies Of All Time |url=https://time.com/6146965/jennifer-lopez-best-movies/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=February 11, 2022}}</ref> Discussing the roles she is drawn to, Lopez said in 1998: "I don't think of them as strong women ... I like characters that are really part of the story as opposed to window dressing, but I think the interesting thing is that they are real people. Nobody walks around being strong all the time."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gristwood |first1=Sarah |title=Jennifer Lopez is on her way up |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/12/11/jennifer-lopez-is-on-her-way-up/ |website=[[Tampa Bay Times]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=December 11, 1998}}</ref>

Film critic [[Stephanie Zacharek]] described Lopez as "one of the most gifted and appealing performers of the past two decades ... and yet the movies have rarely known what to do with her and her significant gifts as an actor."<ref name="Patron Saint">{{cite magazine |last1=Zacharek |first1=Stephanie |author1-link=Stephanie Zacharek |title=Why Jennifer Lopez Remains the Patron Saint of Romantic Comedies |url=https://time.com/6145415/jlo-marry-me-romantic-comedies/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=February 7, 2022}}</ref> While Lopez received acclaim for her early film work, ''[[The New York Times]]'' writer Kyle Buchanan noted that her tendency to star in romantic comedies, and her pop music career, "lowered her critical bona fides".<ref name="Kyle">{{cite web |last1=Buchanan |first1=Kyle |title=Why Did the Oscars Ignore Jennifer Lopez in 'Hustlers'? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/13/movies/jennifer-lopez-academy-awards.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=January 13, 2020}}</ref> [[Taylor Hackford]], who directed Lopez in ''Parker'', said she "can really act": "She knows how to transmit nuances, to make the subtlest of shifts. Does she have humor? Yes. But at the same time she can get into the deepest dramatic areas."<ref name="Van Meter">{{cite web |last1=Van Meter |first1=Jonathan |title=Jennifer Lopez: Venus Rising |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/jennifer-lopez-venus-rising |website=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=March 15, 2012}}</ref> Lopez, who identifies the romantic comedy as her favorite film genre,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tapia |first1=Sara |title=Jennifer Lopez dishes on her career and marriage to Ben Affleck |url=https://www.who.com.au/jennifer-lopez-ben-affleck-romcom |website=[[Who (magazine)|Who]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=January 26, 2023}}</ref> has been referred to as the "Patron Saint of Romantic Comedies"<ref name="Patron Saint" /> and the "Queen of Romantic Comedies".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tangcay |first1=Jazz |title=Jennifer Lopez's Rom-Coms Ranked, From 'Maid in Manhattan' to 'Shotgun Wedding' |url=https://variety.com/lists/jennifer-lopez-romantic-comedy-movies-ranked/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=January 27, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Keates |first1=Emma |title=Jennifer Lopez is releasing a film to accompany her first album in a decade |url=https://www.avclub.com/jennifer-lopez-this-is-me-now-date-1851049046 |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=November 27, 2023}}</ref>

In her early films, Lopez played stereotypical roles which signified her as a "racialized, exoticized" [[Other (philosophy)|other]]. In films such as ''Blood and Wine'' and ''U Turn'', her body is fetishized "through extreme close-ups" and "framed as animalistic, primitive, and irresistibly dangerous to the Anglo American male characters."<ref name="Latina Iconicity">{{cite journal |last1=Valdivia |first1=Angharad N. |last2=Molina Guzmán |first2=Isabel |title=Brain, Brow, and Booty: Latina Iconicity in U.S. Popular Culture |journal=[[The Communication Review]] |date=2004 |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=205–221 |doi=10.1080/10714420490448723 |publisher=[[Routledge]] | issn = 1071-4421 }}</ref> This shifted with her role in ''Selena'', which "affirmed her Latinx identity, and won her the loyalty of that significant section of the U.S. and global audience."<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Laura |title=Why Jennifer Lopez is Hollywood's most underestimated star |url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220907-why-jennifer-lopez-is-hollywoods-most-underestimated-star |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=September 27, 2022}}</ref> She has also been criticized for playing ethnically ambiguous parts and tapping into "the ability to perform a [[panethnic]] other" to commodify herself.<ref name="Latina Iconicity" /> Her role as an Italian woman in ''The Wedding Planner'' has been described as "a case of classic Hollywood whitewashing."<ref name="Vice">{{cite web |last1=Zaragoza |first1=Alex |title=That's Not Amore: Everything That's Wrong With 'The Wedding Planner' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/thats-not-amore-everything-thats-wrong-with-the-wedding-planner/ |website=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=February 19, 2020}}</ref>