Janet Jackson Makes History at BBMAs

The 52-year-old pop star is the first black woman to receive the Billboard Icon Award.

Bruno Mars introduced Jackson, noting her family’s legacy of artistic genius and her own immense success in the industry. After all, she did release her debut album at just sixteen-years-old in 1982, then went on to become the first woman to record five consecutive number one albums.

The youngest of the Jackson siblings, Janet then took the stage to give her first televised performance in nearly a decade. In a full-gold ensemble, complete with shiny thigh-high boots, the timeless songstress showed off her signature dance moves and blessed her audience with three of her most popular tracks, “Nasty,” “If,” and “Throb.”

After rocking the stage with her incredible performance, @JanetJackson accepts the 2018 #BBMAs Icon Award! #ICON_JANET pic.twitter.com/S7nDbrGJQI

— Billboard Music Awards (@BBMAs) May 21, 2018

Upon being presented with her award, Jackson gave a graceful and heartwarming speech in solidarity with the #MeToo movement that truly confirmed her icon status. She stated, “I believe that for all the challenges, for all our challenges, we live at a glorious moment in history. It’s a moment when at long last women have made it clear that we will no longer be controlled, manipulated or abused. I stand with those women and with those men equally outraged by discrimination who support us in heart and mind.”