Despite her family’s wide success, the youngest of the Jackson family grew up to become one of the most influential figures in contemporary pop culture. Debuting her first solo album (named after herself) in 1982, American singer Janet Jackson went on to record a total of 11 studio albums, winning prominent awards and worldwide recognition.

Influential of the ‘90s, Jackson’s style was a mixture of extravagance with bold colored patterns and grunge elements. While on stage, the singer distinctively wore menswear suits and uniforms, giving them feminine twists with bedazzled touches cropped tops, and fun accessories.

Jackson’s electrifying performances made her a fierce competitor in the industry as she sold out worldwide tours, her most popular being the Rhythm Nation World Tour in 1990. The singer’s most remembered performance is that of the Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 when she was joined by Justin Timberlake for the half-time show. Starting as an exciting and rather awaited moment, their performance rapidly became a nightmare for Jackson as she experienced what we remember today as Nipplegate, when the singer's bodice was ripped off by Timberlake, exposing her breast for a split second. The incident negatively impacted the singer’s career as it was followed by a series of lawsuits and controversies revolving around indecency on broadcast TV.

In 2017, while married to ex-husband Wissam Al Mana, her son Eissa Al Mana was born, and since then, Jackson has dedicated her time to raising him. Today, there are little to no photos of the 4-year-old baby as her mother has kept him out of the public eye.

On her 55th birthday, L’OFFICIEL looks back at the pop singer’s best extravagant and unique stage looks.