Were Michael Jackson And Janet Jackson Close?

When Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, it impacted the world in a massive way. A public memorial was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles the following month and was watched by up to 2.5 billion people, making it one of the most-watched televised funerals, according to Beyond the Dash.

Months after his death, Michael's youngest sibling, Janet Jackson, sat down with Harper's Bazaar to discuss life after her brother's funeral. The last time the singer saw Michael before he died was two days before her 43rd birthday. "We had so much fun that day. We kept calling each other after and saying how great it was," she shared. After his memorial service, Janet admitted she left that same night to go to Atlanta to film for the movie she was working on, "Why Did I Get Married Too," with Tyler Perry. "Work helps focus all of that energy on something that is of value to you," she explained, adding, "It was the first time I had to myself since Michael passed, the first time I could get away since all of that." At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Janet made a surprise appearance to perform an epic tribute.

Both Michael and Janet were high-profile public figures who tried to maintain as much privacy as possible. However, they weren't shy about expressing the love they had for one another.

Janet Jackson's loyalty and close bond with her older brother Michael Jackson dated back to her childhood. Before Janet embarked on her own huge recording career, she would have to shop for her sibling, who was already a music icon. "He'd have the same red shirt, the same black pants, the same white T-shirt. Mike was very simple," she told Harper's Bazaar in 2009 about Michael's sense of style, adding, "When I was 14 years old, I would shop for him. [Michael was then 21 and a megastar.]" Shopping wasn't all Janet did, either. "I washed his clothes, cleaned his room. When Mother would go out of town, she'd say, 'I'm leaving you in charge. Take care of Mike,'" she continued. "I would head home from school, see what he needed, then go straight to the stores."

In a home video from 1990, Michael and Janet can be seen having fun out of the spotlight. The duo appeared to be competitive and enjoyed having water fights. During a television appearance, Michael referred to Janet as "Mrs. Rhythm Nation" and said they both "think so much alike." In another clip, Michael danced to his sister's music alone in a studio. The "Billie Jean" hitmaker revealed his favorite songs from Janet were "Rhythm Nation" and "The Knowledge."

During a 2004 interview on "The Jonathan Ross Show," Janet defended Michael when the host said Michael "needs help." Janet had her brother's back. "I wish he would allow people to really get to know him the way that his family knows him," she said.

In 1993, Janet Jackson attended the Grammy Awards to honor Michael Jackson with the Legend award. The "Nasty" hitmaker expressed how proud she was to be his sister and how much he had inspired her when handing over Michael's trophy. As seen above, the duo posed on the red carpet and publicly displayed their close bond.

Michael and Janet duetted on the song "Scream" in 1995. According to Insider, the iconic futuristic music video remains the most expensive video of all time. During a 2008 interview with "Larry King Live," Janet revealed Michael had asked her to work on a song with him prior. However, she wanted to make sure she had her own identity before agreeing. "We had so much fun back then," Janet told Harper's Bazaar in 2009, adding, "We would organize our days together and go out for vegetarian lunch at the Golden Temple in L.A. We were so busy, but we'd make time."

Since Michael's death, Janet has continued to pay tribute to her brother on his birthday. In 2021, she shared a black-and-white image from their childhood to Instagram with the caption, "missing you." Janet told Harper's Bazaar if she had one more day with Michael she would "relive that moment we had when we were kids, do our little run: We'd wake up, feed the animals, spend the entire day together."