March 7th, 2021 * Los Angeles, CA — No matter the reason for the recent resurgence of one of Pop Music’s most iconic albums, ‘Control’, many of today’s younger music listeners are discovering the timeless music on the LP that launched Janet Jackson into becoming a bona fide Superstar at the height of her brother Michael's "King of Pop'' reign.
’Control’ was Janet's "coming of age" album, finding her voice professionally as a singer, and it was produced by the two hottest music producers on the planet at the time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The album gained 5 chart topping singles including, ‘Let’s Wait Awhile’ a song co-written by Janet’s BFF and traveling companion from their high school days, Melanie Andrews.
There is something to be said about fate and destiny because as Melanie explains it, she was just going to be hanging out with her friend as they had done many times before. She had no pre-planned notion that one of the songs she penned would make it onto the record, or that she would be such a contributing force on the album singing background vocals on so many of the singles, even voicing the response to Janet on the single “What Have You Done For Me Lately” that Paula Abdul lip synced in the music video: “Girl, I know he used to do nice things for you, but what has he done for you, Lately”.
The other singles on the ‘Control’ LP that Melanie did background vocals on are: "Control", "When I think Of You," "Let's Wait Awhile", and "Funny How Time Flies".
By now, Janet Jackson’s music career has become the stuff of legend. She is the first and only artist in history to produce seven top five hits from one album, 'Rhythm Nation 1814', and holds the record for the most consecutive top-ten entries on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart by a female artist with 18 # 1 hit songs.
For Melanie Andrews, an unimaginable songwriting career took off for her as a multi-platinum, award winning producer songwriter winning the BMI Pop Music Songwriter nod, and working with some of the hottest R&B & Pop artists of the day, including Earth, Wind & Fire, Philip Bailey, Jasmine Guy, and Adam Ant, to name a few.
This only seems fitting for Melanie who also has music “royalty“ in her blood as the late Jazz trumpeter & legend, "Snooky" Young is her grandfather.
Janet and Melanie both have expressed their humble gratitude to a whole new generation of young people who are enjoying the 'Control' album music now, 35 years later.
As the line goes from' another hit song of Janet’s, “Funny How Time Flies When You’re Having Fun”.
Check out ‘Control’ on iTunes and everywhere digital music is played, and you can see more on Janet and Melanie on Instagram:
@janetjackson
@melanieandrews01