Fans are thrilled that Janet Jackson is back with her new album and world tour, but the singer made an announcement on Wednesday, April 6 that she will need to take a break from touring. Through a video statement released on her website and her Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, Jackson announced she will be delaying her tour due to health concerns regarding planning a family with her husband. She had been about to embark on the second leg of her Unbreakable world tour in the United States in Las Vegas in May, so while this news is upsetting to fans, especially those who held tickets for upcoming shows, the iconic singer's health and safety takes first priority.
If you are feeling a strange sense of disappointing déjà vu, that would be because this isn't the first time Jackson has delayed her Unbreakable world tour. In Dec. 2015, she had to postpone the start of her tour until spring due to Jackson undergoing undisclosed surgery. Then, less than a month ago in March, Spin reported that she canceled the European part of the tour, refunding all ticket holders for her shows in cities like London, Berlin, and Prague.
In her Wednesday, April 6 video announcement, she said:
"My husband and I are planning our family, so I'm going to have to delay the tour. Please, if you can try and understand that it's important that I do this now. I have to rest up — doctor's orders — but I have not forgotten about you. I will continue the tour as soon as I possibly can."
You can watch her announcement below:
Although Jackson did not announce that she is pregnant, it is the most likely conclusion the media and her fans are jumping to upon the release of the video. Jackson married third husband Wissam Al Mana, a Qatari billionaire, in 2012 and while they have been pretty private about their relationship, this announcement does put their family into the spotlight. If she is — or is trying — to be pregnant, this would be the first child for the 49-year-old Jackson. According to the AP, she had been married when she was 18 years old to James DeBarge in 1984 for three months and to Rene Elizondo Jr. in 1991 until they separated in 1999. She did not have children in either of her previous marriages.
While there is no hard-and-fast rule for announcing when you are pregnant, The Bump writes that most women wait until after their first trimester (the 12-week mark) to tell people their good news since 80 percent of miscarriages happen during that vulnerable time. The Bump also writes that the risk of miscarriage increases to 40 percent (versus the average 13 percent) when you are over the age of 40. If Jackson's doctor-ordered rest is due to her being in the early stages of pregnancy, she is understandably keeping this news quiet, even if her delayed tour announcement has put kindling on the rumor mill's fire.
If you had planned on seeing Jackson on tour this summer, you may be disappointed. However, you can always listen to her Unbreakable album while you send the artist positive thoughts during this important and possibly joyous occasion in her personal life.
