1985
July : Janet leaves the Jeovah’s Witnesses. Pushed by John Mac Lain, she makes a diet and takes singing and dancing classes. Mac Lain asks producers Terry Lewis & Jimmy Jam to produce Janet next album and they accept.
August : Janet is on the cover of Essence magazine.
Janet & Latoya make a photoshoot together at Hayvenhurst.
August-October : Janet goes to Minneapolis with her friend Melanie to record her new album with Terry Lewis & Jimmy Jam at the Flyte Tyme Studio.
October 27 : Janet supports LaToya by performing background vocals on her song “Baby Sister” during a live performance at the 16th annual World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, Japan. “Baby Sister is the 1st single from LaToya’s ‘s 4th studio album “Imagination” released in 1986.
November : Janet goes to Canyon Ranch with Paula Abdul to study dance and slim down.
November 22 : Rebbie gives birth to her son named Austin Brown (“Auggie”).
December : Janet shoots the video for her upcoming single “What Have You Done For Me Lately” directed by Brian Jones and Piers Ashworth and choreographed by Paula Abdul. The video also features Tina Landon who will eventually becomes Janet’s best friend and choreographer for years.
1986
January 13 : “What Have You Done For Me Lately” is released as the 1st single from “Control” and becomes Janet first TOP 10 hit on the Hot 100 Billboard peaking at #4.
January 27 : Janet makes her first public appearance with her new boyfriend Rene Elizondo Jr at the the American Music Awards ceremony. Michael, Katherine, LaToya, Rebbie & Janet also attend the ceremony. Rebbie, Janet & LaToya present awards. For the show’s conclusion, Michael joins many celebrities including Diana Ross, Janet & LaToya to sing “We Are The World”.
February 4 : The album “Control” is released and becomes a huge success peaking at #1 on Billboard 200 . Janet gives many TV, Radio & magazine interviews to promote the album.
February 17 : The video for “What Have You Done For Me Lately” is premiered on BET.
March 13 : Janet performs “What Have You Done For Me Lately” on American Banstand.
March 29 : In Los Angeles, Janet performs “What Have You Done For Me Lately” on The Soul Train Show.
March 31 : Janet appears on the cover of Jet magazine.
April 11 : Janet performs “What Have You Done For Me Lately” on The Solid Soul Show.
April 15 : “Nasty” is released as the 2nd single from “Control”. It will peak at #3 on Hot 100 Billboard. Janet premieres the video at the Hayvenhurst home movie theatre for Michael & the family. The video is directed by Mary Lambert and choreographed by Paula Abdul and Anthony Thomas.
May 2 : Janet performs “What Have You Done For Me Lately” on Solid Gold.
May 24 : Janet is on the cover of UK’s NME magazine.
July 28 : “When I Think Of You” is released as the third single from “Control” along with a video. It is Janet first ever Number 1 the hot 100 US Billboard. The video is directed by Julian Temple and choreographed by Paula Abdul. Janet’s nephews TJ & Taryll make a cameo in the video.
September : Janet is on the cover of Ebony magazine.
September 5 : Janet attends the MTV Video Music Awards with Rene where she presents an award.
September 10 : Janet & Rene are on a promotional tour in Toronto, Canada.
October 28 : “Control” is released as the fourth single from “Control”. It will peak at #5 on Hot 100 Billboard. The music video is directed by Mary Lambert and features a live performance recorded at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles with Terry Lewis, Jimmy Jam, Jellybean Johnson & Jerome Benton. It’s choreograped by Paula Abdul & Anthony Thomas. Janet Dubois from Good Times plays Janet’s mother in the video.
November : Janet goes to Europe with Rene & Anthony Thomas for a promotional tour :
-London (England) : they tape a performance of Control on Top Of The Pops
-Paris (France) : they tape a performance of “Nasty” on TF1 (aired on November 17)
-Amsterdam : They tape a performance of “Control” on Dutch TV show Top Pop
-Madrid (Spain) : they tape a performance of “When I Think Of You” & Nasty at TVE Studios (aired on December 17)
-Berlin (Germany) : they tape a performance of “Control” on at TV Puls (aired on November 20)
-Italy : Janet gives an interview
Hilversum (Netherlands) : they tape Control & When I Think Of You on Countdown Cafe (aired on November 18)
Back in the US Janet performs Control on the Soul Train Show.
December 26 : Jermaine’s mistress, Margaret Maldonado gives birth to a baby boy named Jeremy Jackson while Jermaine’s wife Hazel is pregnant from him…
December 31 : Janet performs “Control” on “Countown to 1987” TV show.
1987
January 06 : “Let’s Wait Awhile” is released the the 5th single from “Control” along with a black & white video directed by Dominic Sena. It will peak at #2 on Hot 100 Billboard.
Janet is on the cover of Spin Magazine.
January 22 : Janet performs “Control” and “Nasty” during the halftime of Ice Capades skating show at the Madison Square Garden in NYC. While in New York, she takes her dancers to the Studio 54.
January 26 : Janet attends the American Music Awards ceremony with Rene where she performs “Control” and wins two awards.
The album “Control The Remixes” is released.
February 1 : Janet is a guest on US radio show HITLINE USA.
February 24 : Janet attends the 29th Annual Grammy Awards at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California where she performs a medley performance of “What Have You Done For Me Lately ” and “Nasty” featuring Terry Lewis & Jimmy Jam. Later she watches the delay broadcast ay Hayvenhurst with family and friends.
March : Janet accepts an award in a pre recorded video message taped in New York City during the filming of the “Let’s Wait Awhile” video during the 4th Annual Black Gold Awards.
Janet is on the cover of Jet magazine.
March 14 : “Diamonds”, a duet between Janet & Herb Alpert is released by A&M. It will peak at #5 on Hot 100 Billboard.
March 17 : Hazel gives birth to Jermaine’s son, Jaimy Jackson.
March 23 : Janet attends the Soul Train Awards with Rene where she wins an award for “Control”.
March 26 : Janet performs “Let’s Wait Awhile” on British TV show Top Of The Pops (taped in London).
March 30 : Janet performs “Let’s Wait Awhile” at Yoru no Hit Sutajio in Tokyo, Japan.
May 12 : “The Pleasure Principle” is released as the 6th single from Control. It will peak at #14 on Hot 100 Billboard.
June : MTV premieres the video for “The Pleasure Principle” directed by Dominic Sena and choreograped by Barry Lather.
July 20 : The single “Making Love In The Rain” from Herb Alpert is released and it features Janet’s background vocals. It will peak at #35 on Hot 100 Billboard.
August 17 : Janet is on the cover of Jet magazine with a story on a party hosted by A&M in Beverly Hills with Terry Lewis & Jimmy Jam to celebrate the Control album getting platinum.
August 20 : Jackie & Enid are officicially divorced. Enid has custody of Siggy & Brandi.
September: A&M releases Control : The Videos, a VHS featuring all the music videos from the album Control.
September 11 : Janet wins her first MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography (“Nasty”) but she does not attend the ceremony.
October : Hazel files for divorce and Jermaine introduces Margaret to the family.
Janet leaves Hayvenhurst to move in with her boyfriend Rene Elizondo Jr.
November 9 : Janet and Rene attend Eddie Murphy’s Comedy Tour at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
November 25 : “Funny How Time Flies” is released as the 7th and final single from “Control” (only in the UK & Australia). Janet does not shoot a video for this single.
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