American Idol Finale: Janet Jackson Performs “Again/Nothing/Nasty” Medley
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
Last night Lee DeWyze was crowned winner of the ninth season of American Idol. Though if you tuned into the show, you already know that Mr. DeWyze and his opponent Crystal Bowersox were nothing more than a subplot to the star-studded salute to Simon Cowell. Over the course of two hours, just about every performer you could think of from Christina Aguilera to Alanis Morrissette to Joe Crocker, Chicago, Alice Cooper, and of course past Idol winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood graced the stage. However it was Janet Jackson who stole the show with just over 8 minutes of airtime.
Earlier that evening, at around 5:30 pm (est), producer Jermaine Dupri leaked word via Twitter that Ms. Jackson was set to perform “Nothing” from the motion picture “Why Did I Get Married, Too?” during the finale. News spread like wildfire and Janet fans, including myself, tuned in to get a mere glimpse of our girl. We got more than expected at around 9:40p (est) as the rest of the season’s competitors flocked to the stage one last time to sing “Again,” the 1993 single from Janet Jackson’s fifth studio album, Janet.
The camera panned right and Ms. Jackson emerged from backstage to deliver the final verse of “Again” then took center stage for a moving rendition of “Nothing.” The song’s poignant and fitting lyrics were drilled home by Ms. Jackson as she sang: “And the truth is that I realize/ Love is fading from your eyes/ Don’t know how it came to this/ But we can get it fixed tonight.”
She stayed true to form upon finishing “Nothing,” as she momentarily left the stage and was replaced by a host of male dancers wearing white shirts and black slacks. Ms. Jackson re-emerged wearing a skintight black bodysuit and transitioned to “Nasty.” She strutted around the stage, broke out some trademark dance moves, and energized the crowd. It was a touching moment for all Janet Jackson fans as the singer finally received recognition for her work on American Idol. Ms. Jackson soaked up the applause for just a moment, waved to the judges and fans, before briskly exiting the stage.
Note to all young performers out there – Janet Jackson officially served you notice. At 44-years old, she still knows how to entertain a crowd and shows no sign of stopping. Check the video below before they pull it.
