The R&B superstar, who is performing at the American Music Awards on May 26, is holding off on telling her story for a sentimental reason involving her brother

Though her older brother Michael Jackson was one of the world’s most famous musicians, Janet Jackson is a superstar in her own right, having sold over 180 million records worldwide.

The All For You singer has been approached many times to tell her life story through a biopic or docuseries, but according to a source at In Touch, she is waiting for Michael’s film to wrap so she won’t steal the spotlight from her late brother, who passed away in 2009.

The upcoming film, titled Michael, is directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars Janet’s 28-year-old nephew Jaafar as the King of Pop. The authorized biopic will be a look inside the troubled star’s life and career.

According to the insider, “Janet is holding off on any career retrospective project of her own for the time being out of respect for the rest of her family, including her niece and nephews, who control Michael Jackson’s estate and her nephew, Jaafar, who is starring in the Michael Jackson biopic.”

Jaafar, who is making his acting debut portraying his uncle, is the son of Jermaine Jackson, one of the 10 Jackson siblings.

Janet and Michael had a close relationship (Image: Getty)

Janet made her musical debut in 1982 with her self-titled debut album, but really made her mark on the industry with her 1986 album Control, which made her a bona fide superstar.

In 1995, she and her brother teamed up for the song Scream, which features lyrics aimed at the tabloid media and their coverage of the child sexual abuse accusations made against Michael in 1993. The music video is considered to be one of the most iconic videos of all time.

The Someone To Call My Lover singer was embroiled in a scandal that derailed her career when Justin Timberlake ripped off part of her top and exposed her nipple during their live Super Bowl performance in 2004, which has become known in pop culture as ‘nipple gate.’

The five-time Grammy winner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019 and is set to receive the ICON Award at this year’s American Music Awards on May 26. The award is presented to “an artist whose music has had undeniable cultural and global influence over the music industry.”

Janet is one of the best selling artists of all time (Image: Getty)

Janet Jackson is set to hit the stage for the first time in 7 years (Image: Getty)

When it comes to telling her story, the In Touch insider said,”from her unlikely breakthrough in the late eighties to her three marriages, to ‘nipple gate,’ Janet has had a crazy career and made music that went around the world.”

“She’s not making any decisions about how she will portray her own legacy until the fate of the Michael movie is determined. That said, Janet knows she has an amazing personal and professional story to tell that is totally different from her late brother’s.”

“She will get around to telling her story eventually, but right now, Michael’s story comes first and the whole family is rallying to make sure that the movie is successful,” they explained.

Janet is slated to perform at the AMAs on May 26. This will be her first time on stage in seven years, when she performed at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. The 2025 American Music Awards are streaming live on Paramount+ and CBS.