Ludacris’ Tour Stop in Los Angeles Features Performances by Janet Jackson
During a Saturday night concert visit in Los Angeles as part of her tour, Janet Jackson added some young spirit to her typically mature performance.
Jackson paused during a set full of classic songs from the past to perform ” Again ” with the LA Phil’s Youth Orchestra Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl. The five-time Grammy winner spoke briefly with an 11-year-old percussionist who had just been a member of the orchestra for a year before to the 16-member ensemble’s appearance with the pop icon.
In front of a sold-out audience, Janet Jackson remarked, “Tonight is very special to me because we’re here to support LA Phil.” The audience then stood to praise the singer. She paid tribute to the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s YOLA program, which provides free instruments, rigorous music teaching, academic support, and leadership development to almost 1,700 young musicians at five locations.
At the Super Bowl the previous year, YOLA sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” with the gospel group Mary Mary.
Janet Jackson gave the little percussionist a hug before inquiring how she learned about the program.
The percussionist stated, “My mom probably saw YOLA on Instagram or another social media platform, and she asked me if I was interested in a music program, and I answered “Sure, I’ll try it.” Jackson suggested to her, “Let’s do something a little special,” after their conversation in front of tens of thousands of concertgoers.
Many spectators took out their phones as Janet Jackson sung and the orchestra, under the direction of Thomas Wilkins, played the theme from “Again” from her fifth studio album “Janet.” The 1993 movie “Poetic Justice” gave the song an Oscar nomination.
Janet Jackson returned to her more mature material with “Any Time, Any Place” following her performance with YOLA, before transitioning into “I Get Lonely.” She put on an excellent performance during her hour-plus long set, playing a variety of her other classics like “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “Nasty,” “Control,” and “Scream,” a song she co-wrote with her late brother, Michael Jackson.
Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Larenz Tate, and Lil Rel Howery, who are all part of the “Fast X” cast, were among the famous people who attended Jackson’s concert.
Rodriguez and Brewster supported Ludacris, a cast member who took the stage before Jackson as a guest performer. Tate danced in the aisle throughout the rapper’s 35-minute performance while other audience members stood up and recited the lyrics to his songs from “What’s Your Fantasy,” “Area Codes,” and “Welcome to Atlanta.”
in the start of Jackson’s show, Ludacris came out of the audience for a quick discussion with his “Fast X” crew and Howery separately in their box seats.
Overall, it was a memorable night for Janet Jackson, who finished her performance with the Grammy-winning song “Rhythm Nation” from 1989, which sparked a large number of pyrotechnics within the venue. Her tour began in April and is scheduled to end in Seattle on June 21.
The Hollywood Bowl’s summer concerts, which run from June through September and feature performances by the Beach Boys, Gladys Knight, Jill Scott, Maxwell, and Quincy Jones’ 90th birthday tribute, began with a performance by Michael Jackson.
