Jennifer Lopez Says There’s a ‘Club’ She Doesn’t Belong to
Jennifer Lopez first caught the entertainment industry’s attention after playing Selena Quintanilla in the 1997 film Selena. Lopez quickly rose to fame and later launched her music career, releasing her debut album On the 6 in 1999. Despite her success, Lopez says there’s a “club” she doesn’t belong to. Here’s what she revealed.
Jennifer Lopez faced criticism
Lopez has spoken about the criticism she faced over the years. She once told Ross King her self-esteem was negatively affected by the harsh words she received about her singing ability. Lopez says it was tough to finally see her dreams come true only to have the media judge her so harshly.
“I took a beating [for my singing voice] for so many years in the media,” says Lopez. “I think it really worked on my insecurities. I always wanted to be a singer and I was always a dancer and singer. But then when you get out there, people start really judging you for that, and they start dissecting you apart.”
Jennifer Lopez feels shut out of this ‘club’
Lopez talks about her career and the success she has enjoyed so far. Although she’s grateful for how far she has come and the awards she received over the years, she says there’s still a level she has yet to reach. Lopez tells Rolling Stone that artists are categorized according to different levels, and only a few are invited into a special “club.” She’s disappointed about not being placed within what she calls the “inner circle.”
“It’s just 20, 25 years of people going, ‘Well, she’s not that great. She’s pretty and she makes cute music, but it’s not really this and that,’” says Lopez during her Rolling Stone interview. “You know, I think I’ve done some nice work over the years, some really nice work. But there is a club that I just wasn’t a part of. And I always acted like, ‘Yeah, I’m good. I’m fine. I’m OK.’ But it hurts to not be included. I don’t know if I will ever be. There is an inner circle, like, ‘We are the great artists.’ And then there’s the pop artists.”
Jennifer Lopez credits Marc Anthony with helping her overcome insecurity
Lopez spoke about how her ex-husband, Marc Anthony, helped her overcome feelings of insecurity. She credits him with giving her the confidence she needed to believe in herself.
“The biggest insecurity I had was my singing,” says Lopez during a 2013 interview with Cosmopolitan. “Even though I had sold 70 million records, there was this feeling like, I’m not good at this. And while I was married to Marc, he helped me get over it. He kept telling me, ‘You’re the only one holding yourself back from reaching your full potential as a singer. You have to let go.’”
Lopez tells Cosmopolitan she began to see her value as an artist. “I was always so insecure,” she says. “Then I grew, little by little, and realized, wait a minute, this is not a fluke. I’m not a mistake—I work my ass off. And I know what I’m doing.”
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