Pop star Janet Jackson has finally spoken out following the child molestation allegations made against her late superstar brother Micheal Jackson in HBO’s controversial documentary Leaving Neverland.
Her comments come ahead of the 10th anniversary of Michael’s death at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009.
Without making any direct reference to the explosive allegations made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck in the documentary, Janet, who is Michael Jackson’s younger sister, bared her thoughts.
In an interview with the U.K.’s The Sunday Times, Jackson said she was confident that her brother’s legacy “will continue” to survive the present challenges.
Janet, 53, said that Michael’s influence persists in the world of pop culture and that the fact will not change soon.
“I love it when I see kids emulating him, when adults still listen to his music,” she said. “It just lets you know the impact that my family has had on the world.”
“I hope I’m not sounding arrogant in any way. I’m just stating what it is,” she continued. “It’s really all God’s doing, and I’m just thankful for that.”
And Janet appears to be consciously playing her part in preserving her brother’s legacy by playing his songs during recent concerts.
Although this is the first time Janet spoke out in defense of her brother since HBO released the controversial Leaving Neverland documentary, it is not the first time she spoke out in defense of her brother since the allegations first surfaced in the ’90s.
She alleged at that time that Evan Chandler, who in 1993 accused Michael Jackson of sexually molesting his 13-year-old son Jordy, was only looking for financial gain.
While Janet’s silence lasted following the new allegations that erupted after Michael Jackson died, the Jackson family defended the late King of Pop, saying Robson and Safechuk were lying.
The family denied the allegations made against Michael in the Leaving Neverland documentary, saying that they were lies. The Jackson family recently sued HBO for $100 million concerning the documentary.
Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine said that Wade Robson was “lying through his teeth” and that “he knows it.”
“Wade knows better. Wade just wants money,” she said.