Janet Jackson, the youngest member of the legendary Jackson family, has spent a lifetime navigating the pressures and expectations of being born into one of the most famous musical dynasties in history. In her own words, she shares the personal challenges she faced growing up alongside her superstar brother, Michael Jackson, and her journey toward establishing her own identity as an artist.

From a young age, Janet was closely attached to her brothers, especially Michael. “We did everything together,” she recalls fondly. “If you saw Michael, I was always right next to him.” Despite the global fame that surrounded her family, Janet experienced a very sheltered upbringing. Her parents were strict and protective, keeping their children away from the dangers of the outside world—something she believes helped them avoid trouble but also left them isolated.

As a child, Janet didn’t dream of stardom. Instead, she imagined a future as a horse racing jockey, beginning to ride horses at the age of five. It wasn’t until her father placed her in the family variety show that her path in entertainment began. “Looking back, I can’t believe my parents put me on that stage,” she says, recalling how shy she was at the time. Still, with the support of her brother Randy, she overcame her nerves and quickly adapted to life under the spotlight.

Despite her early start in the entertainment industry, Janet always struggled to be seen as more than “Michael’s little sister.” The comparisons came constantly—from her looks to her dance moves. “You look like your brother Michael,” she often heard, or “You and Mike look like twins on stage.” While she acknowledges their similarities, she insists that these comparisons are mostly because of their shared love for dance music and performance style. “I’m me, not them,” she says firmly.

The Jackson name brought both opportunity and pressure. “Everyone expects me to be just as good as my brothers,” Janet explains. “There are pros and cons.” With a family full of performers, she often wondered if people wanted to befriend her for who she was or just to get close to the Jackson fame. The lack of outside friendships during her childhood made her siblings her closest companions.

Perhaps the most difficult part of her journey was breaking free from the control of her father, Joe Jackson, who had managed her career since she was seven years old. Leaving that dynamic behind in order to pursue her own artistic direction was painful but necessary. “It was the hardest thing to do,” she admits, reflecting on her struggle for independence.

Janet never compared herself to her siblings. “I just try to do the best that I can,” she says. Yet, the constant scrutiny and expectations often made her feel as though she had to work twice as hard to prove herself. Even when starring alongside Michael in their iconic duet Scream, she didn’t mind being seen as his sidekick. “That’s what I am in life—his sidekick,” she says affectionately.

Her experiences growing up in the limelight—often without a typical childhood—taught her resilience. “I didn’t get to join the brownies or be on the soccer team,” Janet recalls. “I started working when I was seven.” Still, she believes she had a more normal upbringing than her brothers, having been only two years old when the family moved to California and her brothers found stardom.

Today, Janet Jackson stands as a music icon in her own right. She forged her own path despite the long shadow cast by her famous last name. Through hard work, perseverance, and an unwavering belief in her individuality, she has become not just Michael Jackson’s sister—but Janet Jackson, a star with a legacy all her own.