In an interview this week with MTV News, producer Rodney Jerkins explained that Jackson’s original plans for her forthcoming album have changed recently, stemming from her personal tribulations.
Jerkins said, "It’s funny, ’cause when we just started the project, she was like, ‘I wanna do 10 dance records, all up-tempo to dance. Let’s just go dance.’ "
"You gotta understand, she lost her brother. She was in a relationship for seven years [with Jermaine Dupri] that’s over now. There’s things that she told me that I didn’t even realize. You know, certain [things] like self-esteem that I didn’t even realize that she dealt with for years, you know," the producer explained.
Jerkins has since encouraged Jackson to express her emotions through her music. Fans can expect her next album to be more emotional and less dancey, but with a few songs to get people moving.