Janet Jackson is one of the world's best-selling and most well-known pop superstars, having been a fixture in the mainstream music scene since the '80s.
The star is also a doting mother to a seven-year-old son named Eissa Al Mana, who she shares with her ex-husband, Wissam Al Mana.
The superstar singer is notoriously private about her life at home with her son, rarely ever sharing glimpses of her child on social media.
However, she does occasionally share snippets of life at home as a single working mother, and here's everything we know about Janet and motherhood.
She's a single mother
Janet - who was 50 at the time - made the announcement that she and her husband were expecting a baby on social media. It was to be their only child together. Shortly after giving birth to Eissa in January of 2017, the If songstress and Wissam sadly announced they were ending their marriage.
In an interview with Stellar shortly after the split, Janet revealed: "It is hard being a working mother. I don't have a nanny. I do it all myself. If my mother did it with nine children, there's no reason I can't."
“My friends call me Superwoman,” she later told The Sunday Times. “God knows I’m not. But I think what they are seeing is the energy and that extra drive I’m getting from the inspiration of Eissa.”
The singer previously lived in Indiana and LA before upping sticks to London in the UK, where she co-parents her little one with her ex-husband. Janet will sometimes share glimpses of life at home with her son, usually involving activities like household chores or baking.
During the initial period of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, Janet shared another peek at life with Eissa when she posted a snapshot of how they were coping with not being able to experience life away from home.
"My baby and I built a lil' island retreat #IslandLife," she captioned a picture of an indoor playhouse they built together.
Eissa is following in her footsteps
Eissa may be taking after his mother more than we'd think, as the singer revealed in an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
"First day of school, he took the violin to school. Third day of school, he says, 'Mama I want to take a cello to school.' I said, 'Baby, you don't have a cello.' He said, 'Turn my violin into a cello. Please, mama.'"
Her most recent glimpse of life at home also affirmed her son's love for music, as she shared a short clip of her ironing a white shirt with dramatic sleeves for Eissa's Halloween costume.
Fans instantly began speculating in the comments that the four-year-old would be dressing up as his uncle Michael Jackson for the occasion and found the thought quite heartwarming. He is also a major fan of Bruno Mars.
"Bruno [Mars] was really the first music my son responded to," she told Billboard in May 2018. "During and after his birth, I comforted myself with Brazilian jazz, music that always relaxes me,” she added. “Then when the baby began crawling, Bruno was breaking out big and on the radio all the time. That delighted both of us."
Privacy
Janet and Wissam have both preferred to keep their son away from the prying public eye, including social media. Janet has very rarely shared any pictures of Eissa on her social feeds, and even prefers to keep outings and activities with him relatively quiet.
In an interview with InStyle, the singer talked about spending days out with her son while still risking being spotted by the paparazzi.
"I get bothered and recognized, but I do it anyway. I just try to be cordial and smile. And just keep it moving, really," she said, having also spoken in the past about her own lack of comfort with the spotlight and interviews.
No nanny
Janet has decided not to employ a nanny to help look after her son, despite having the means to do so. During an appearance on Carrie & Tommy in November 2019, she revealed her mom, Katharine, raised nine children without help and that inspired her to do the same.
“My mother [Katherine Jackson] did it. Her mother did it. Why can’t I? We’ll see. I’m sure I will need someone in the future, some help here and there, but I don’t have anyone [right now] and I love it."
It's also ,made her more patient. “I’ve always been a patient person, but there’s more patience that you have to have [in motherhood] and I never knew I was as patient as I really am,” she added. “He’s first and foremost in my life. I get up, I go to sleep — everything is about him. He comes first in my life.”