It's rare that the physics of pop ever work out as they should. Here we are, lamenting the slow, grisly death of our childhood icons, and Janet Jackson, meanwhile has been toiling away in near-obscurity with a handful of gems like this, this, and this -- and even scaring up the odd #1 album. So it's great how in the wildfire that followed her brother's death she managed to avoid getting burned and kept a clear head. She continued work on her next album and held out basically for only ostensibly high-profile press opportunities. Like the upcoming Harper's Bazaar cover she's landed. It's not like we expected Janet to shave her hair off, don all black, and grieve for the rest of her life.

While the meat of the profile will likely focus more on a syrupy reflection on a famous sister who lost her famouser brother and what that means for a world currently embroiled in wars over religion, health care, and skinny jeans, some part of it will inevitably zero in on Jackson's musical career. The overwrought profile could even point out that she has a voice that is not destroyed by years of drug abuse, isn't so easily baited by far-reaching celebutard rappers, and can still even pull off a few cogent dance moves. This is clearly more than what current legacy acts are capable of and provided she can avoid PR snafus like a round of 20 questions with Tyra Banks, the general public may emerge from all passing musical fads with at least one diva in tact. And if not, well, we'll still have vintage Janet Jackson to cherish.

Not to mention her cover story for BlackBook in April 2008!