#3: James DeBarge, The Beginning
Janet’s Age: 18
Teenage rebellion met young romance in 1984. Janet Jackson, eager to step out from under her family’s shadow, fell for singer James DeBarge of the R&B group DeBarge. He was charismatic, soft-spoken, and part of a rising Motown dynasty — a world that felt both familiar and thrillingly independent.
Their connection moved quickly and intensely. For Janet, still navigating adulthood and fame, the relationship represented freedom. Within months, emotion overrode caution, and the two made a decision that would shock her powerful, protective family.