It’s an On The JLo day! It hasn’t happened as frequently recently but I do still get a thrill when I get a ping in my inbox from Jennifer Lopez with a new installment of her On The JLo newsletter.
Today she tells us that:
“I have not been this nervous, excited, scared and thrilled to share something with you in years!! The story of the journey from This Is Me…Then to This Is Me…Now is the most personal thing I’ve ever done. The musical experience continues February 16 when This Is Me…Now the album drops and This Is Me…Now: A Love Story, my new Amazon Original, is streaming on Prime Video.”
This Is Me…Now: A Love Story is a companion film to the album. Basically an extended music video? At this point I feel compelled to invoke the Queen of Culture, Beyoncé, because eight years ago (how the f-ck has it been that long?!), always a trailblazer, she released Lemonade on HBO, musically interweaving the stages of grief with each song on the album, accompanied by the poetry of Warsan Shire, to tell a story of heartbreak and redemption. Lemonade was not just an album about the struggle and salvation of love between wife and husband but it was also a tribute to Black women and the bond of solidarity achieved through shared sacrifice and spirituality.
As much as I love JLo, I’m pretty sure she’s not doing all that with this work.
She is, however, trying to relate her commitment to love, and the way she’s performed her love of love, to everyone else who’s been in and out of love… so many times.
We can analyse that more once we’ve seen the whole thing. Right now let’s focus on what she’s given us in the trailer. Which appears to be a mashup of all her Broadway musical influences and Mad Max, LOL, and there’s some Flashdance in here, non? I’m not saying JLo is going to start welding or anything, but she is wearing a welding helmet, and you can see the industrial/warehouse vibes mixed into the apocalyptic imagery that clashes tonally with the pretty pinks and the soft lighting that she’s typically associated with.
Also… the cameos.
Fat Joe plays her therapist, I have no idea what Post Malone and Trevor Noah are doing at this party but I’m intrigued…and I’m very, very excited about Keke Palmer, Sofia Vergara, and the incomparable JENIFER LEWIS!
And finally, of course, Ben Affleck. His name is last on that list, and we also know he co-wrote the film, which includes a possible storyline about her addicted to sex – this is already so chaotic and corny, I can already tell you that I love it and will watch it at least three times.
Attached – JLo at a promotional event over the weekend in a Fendi fit over creamy tall boots. The glow is glowing!
