Her performance of her 1997 track “What About” was particularly transparent. As Jackson introduced the slow burner at center stage with a single spotlight, her backup dancers reenacted scenes of abusive

Her performance of her 1997 track “What About” was particularly transparent. As Jackson introduced the slow burner at center stage with a single spotlight, her backup dancers reenacted scenes of abusive relationships. It was poetic and wonderfully sensitive, but what made it even more triggering was that Jackson began to cry towards the end of the number. It was almost hard to catch, as she simply sniffled with a faint stream of tears running from her eyes. “This right here,” she softly stated, “This is me.” The audience roared in support. It could’ve just been the overwhelming aspect of life on tour, but it seemed pretty personal. Just days before, the performer’s brother Randy Jackson alleged that his sister’s ex-husband, Wissam Al Mana, had verbally abused her during their nearly five-year marriage and often made her feel “like a prisoner in her own home.”

Things got deep, but quickly livened up as she rounded out her performance with “Rhythm Nation.” Her bashful and bubbly side was exposed when she introduced her band members and dancers and she kept the audience engaged even while performing her ballads.

Jackson received a ton of flack for going on the road, especially after she opted to suspend her 2015-2016 tour to have her first child. But despite the pushback and media headlines concerning her marriage and age, she was able to achieve what very little recording artists can in more than three decades after their start. Her singing was traditionally soft and sweet and her moves were on point. Her day-one fans still showed up and worshiped her as if no time had gone by.

But more importantly, the State of the World Tour was momentous for Jackson. In a time where things seem so fragile, she made daring statements that peeled off a layer to expose the person behind the legacy. Although her lens may be higher up, she sees the aspects of the world that are broken, bruised and oppressed. And like a true optimist, she searches for those glimpses of hope and love in each one of her fans. And that’s possibly all anyone could really hope from an artist with so much influence.