Janet Jackson Makes Rare Appearance at AMAs For First TV Performance in 7 Years

Janet Jackson returned to the stage for the first time in seven years to perform two of her hits and accept the ICON Award at the 2025 American Music Awards.

She started off with her 2001 hit “Someone to Call My Lover.” The singer wore blue baggy jeans, a white cropped t-shirt, a white puffer jacket, and white sneakers. Jackson wore her hair down and curly with a white headband in it. She walked all over the AMAs stage at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas luxury resort on Monday, May 26, as she performed the song. Jackson then danced and sang with several shirtless backup dancers to her other 2001 song, “All For You.”

“Someone to Call My Lover” on her seventh studio album, All For You, has recently climbed back onto the Billboard 100 due to its TikTok fame. Although the performance was short, Jackson still had to receive the ICON Award, which honored her decades-spanning career and her “undeniable cultural and global influence” in the music industry. “I’m so honored. I’m so grateful,” the 59-year-old said as she accepted her award.

“I mean no disrespect in any way, but I don’t consider myself an icon. My family, myself, our dream was to, it wasn’t ever to be famous. We always had a special love for music, dancing, and singing. Fame came as a result of hard work and dedication,” she continued. “My story, my family’s story, is truly an American story. This would have only happened in America. The only thing that I hope for is that I’ve been an inspiration to others and artists to follow their dreams and succeed.”

Jackson is an 11-time AMAs winner and a five-time Grammy Award winner. She has topped the charts for decades. The singer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. She is the youngest of the 10 Jackson children, which includes the late Michael Jackson.

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Her other hits include “Scream,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “Nasty,” “Together Again” and “What Have You Done For Me Lately.” This is not the last time fans will see Jackson perform live. She is set to perform at the Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, Nevada, later this week, and again in September.

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