Pop superstar Jennifer Lopez is set to mesmerise her fans in a manner only J.Lo could, with her latest studio album This Is Me… Now, marking her first in over a decade.
The album serves as a sequel to her 2002 release This Is Me… Then and comes with something extra special.
The singer and actress is back with a new album This Is Me… Now. (Source: Breakfast)
With a career that spans four decades and includes eight studio albums, Lopez is no stranger to reinvention. Her ninth album, This Is Me… Now sees her reflecting on her enduring romance with now-husband Ben Affleck.
“This was something that was really inspired by the music and a moment in life that I wanted to capture," Lopez said.
"It seemed very kind of magical and even surreal at times. When the album was done, I realised there's more to this story, something bigger I wanted to do with this music.”
The "something bigger" came in the form of a new musical film This Is Me… Now: The Love Story, directed by Dave Meyers, showcasing Lopez's talent in dance, singing, and acting.
"She's like Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi—there's a maturity, courage, and vulnerability," Meyers said. “Jen's always been the most detailed, professional, hardworking person.”
The pop star is now giving fans something different by talking about parts of her life she had once kept secret.
“Gaining the confidence to be vulnerable and to admit certain things to the world, I think, has made me more comfortable in my own skin and empowered me in a way to step into this next phase of my life,” she said. “As an artist and as a human being, that will be a whole new chapter for me, feeling more free to express myself in a lot of different and exciting ways.”
And while her latest project encapsulated just that, Lopez said making the film was no easy feat. From conceptualisation to execution, as well as the ambitious graphics and special effects shot on a green screen, "everything was challenging," she said.
The project's completion in a record amount of time was a “monumental effort," she said.
Evolution of Dance
Lopez, frequently dubbed the Queen of Dance, is no stranger to challenging herself with different styles, but in this new film, the pop star raises the bar once again.
This Is Me… Now: The Love Story is broken up into multiple segments, not just showing different parts of Lopez’s life, but also showcasing various dance styles.
Several choreographers, including New Zealand’s own Parris Goebel, were brought in to make that happen. Goebel, while working on J.Lo’s project, simultaneously juggled choreographing Rihanna's 2023 Super Bowl performance – something she had previously done for Lopez.
Fans will see Lopez not just embracing Polyswag but also trying her feet at contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop, styles she is well-known for.
J.Lo’s obsession with Kiwi dancers
Lopez's affinity for Kiwi dancers is no secret, with Tokoroa's Michael Metuakore having performed alongside her since 2018, including at the Super Bowl halftime show with Shakira.
“We had been rehearsing for about six weeks for the performance, and I just remember feeling exhausted,” he said. “Sometimes there are moments of doubt, and you think to yourself ‘how am I going to do this performance?’
"But something just took over and everything just felt like it was meant to be. It was beautiful; it was amazing.”
Performing alongside the Queen of Dance herself is something Metuakore has done regularly. He worked on Lopez's new music video Can't Get Enough, praising her work ethic and consistency.
“She brings something out in you that you don't realise you possess," Metuakore said. “When you're on stage with her, she is going for it regardless of how many people are in the audience -- you have to match her energy.”
Metuakore, now based in LA, has worked with a who's who of pop royalty, including Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, and Ariana Grande. Yet, he highlights working with Lopez as one of his career's highlights, crediting Goebel and dancing for The Royal Family Dance Crew for that opportunity – one he never thought would be possible for someone like him.
“I'm hired to be a dancer, just a dancer, whereas [Jennifer’s] a dancer, an artist, and an actress,” he said. “She wears so many hats and she's so incredible at all of them I have no excuse but to do one job and it's just dance.”
This Is Me… Now: The Love Story, set for global release on Prime Video on Friday February 16, is a star-studded affair with cameos from Hollywood to hip-hop, including Jane Fonda, Jennifer Lewis, Fat Joe, and even Ben Affleck (if you can spot him) just to name a few.
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