Jennifer Lopez – This Is Me...Now

[newpower]

After multiple plays, this is my current ranking:

Rebound
Hearts and Flowers
Broken Like Me
Not.Going.Anywhere
Can't Get Enough
Dear Ben Pt. II
This Time Around
Midnight Trip To Vegas
This Is Me...Now
Greatest Love Story Never Told
To Be Yours
Mad In Love
Hummingbird

[SHOOTER]

#1 on Top Album Sales. Seethe.

[@DiegoMarcondes_]

After the release of "Can't Get Enough" I expected to like this album. But no, sounds so dated to me.
Songs like "Mad In Love" and "Hummingbird" could be included in a playlist with the songs from "This Is Me... Then" and would be hard to tell which one is from "Then" or from "Now".

[schnetzka]

So I absolutely love the album and the film and the documentary. Jennifer really put her all in project. I like the quote from the doc where they're talking about what would make the project a success and Jennifer simply said "just making the project was a success". It doesn't matter if the album charts high or if the film does well, the creative and emotional process was the most important part. I think all of it was really well done.

[Dreams]

I just watched the film and thought it was decent for what it was aiming to be; at the same time, though, I'm perplexed as to what it was exactly. Was it a mockumentary, some sort of musical parody... what? (This is a serious question, btw. No shade, nothing).

I have always admired how resilient Jennifer's always been in her quest for finding love. I find that relatable. I hope she is happy.

[R.K.]

She’s serving high camp this era!

[Ivy Leegue™]

As it turns out, Jennifer Lopez's best role is...Jennifer Lopez. The Greatest Love Story Never Told was excellent.

[Dreams]

Also,

"Dear Ben, Pt. II" > "Dear Ben"


One of my favs on the album. I love the beat and instrumentation.

[bat1990]

Feb 28, 2024 7:06:52 GMT -5 Dreams said:

Also,

"Dear Ben, Pt. II" > "Dear Ben"


One of my favs on the album. I love the beat and instrumentation.

I just find the hook a little weird (Sitting here alone, looking at my ring, ring/Feeling overwhelmed, it make me wanna sing, sing), but overall I really like the song. It's somehow more universal in it's lyrics while still being personal to their relationship.

[think pink.]

Feb 28, 2024 9:22:49 GMT -5 bat1990 said:

Feb 28, 2024 7:06:52 GMT -5 Dreams said:

Also,

"Dear Ben, Pt. II" > "Dear Ben"


One of my favs on the album. I love the beat and instrumentation.

I just find the hook a little weird (Sitting here alone, looking at my ring, ring/Feeling overwhelmed, it make me wanna sing, sing), but overall I really like the song. It's somehow more universal in it's lyrics while still being personal to their relationship.

I didn't like those opening lyrics at all at first but the song is sooo good that it doesn't bother me anymore lol.

[Ivy Leegue™]

I can't deal with ring ring sing sing, but the song is nice overall, I agree. Still in the middle of the pack for me, currently. I love how my girl Raye has writing and background singing credits.

[think pink.]

I just finished watching the documentary.

Oof. I'm so emotional lol. That was the most raw, honest & real she's ever been. Idk how to explain it. But I felt like I watched someone who I've grown up watching finally be at peace & happy with themselves. And it just made me so happy for her. I loved seeing the love between her and Ben and I LOVE her friendship with Jane Fonda. I didn't know Jane was so protective of Jennifer lol. But it made me cry when Jane cried and said "This better be fuckin' it" in regards to Ben being her final marriage lol.

I've always respected Jennifer's work ethic, but I REALLY appreciate it now more than ever after seeing this doc. Who the hell does all of this and risks that much financially in the industry today? Especially for an older act who knows they're past their commercial peak. Artists today can barely shoot music videos.


Watching this also made me sad because she's the last of a dying breed. We won't ever see superstars like her anymore. And knowing this is her last musical era has made everything bittersweet. I'm really happy and appreciative that she gave her fans (and herself) one final era and did it in such a huge and great way. She could've easily just did a GH tour or residency and let it end that way. But instead decided to take a risk and take on this huge production of a musical film and leave her fans with something special. I love her so much.

[trustypepper]

^Could not have said it better myself. She is an absolute icon and I’m so proud to be a JLo stan, especially right now.

[Choco]

If she's truly over music I'm ready for more risks in the acting department. Hustlers seemed like the start of bigger things but I feel like the pandemic kinda derailed that a bit and she sorta retreated back to her comfort zone of mindless action and romcoms. She can command a screen way better than most people.

I'm guessing sooner rather than later we'll get more music though. Even if an album itself doesn't happen.

[wavey.]

I can see her doing a residency eventually. But I'm sure the tour is going to slap tho.

[think pink.]

Top 2 places on Amazon

[think pink.]

Mar 1, 2024 10:13:43 GMT -5 @deleted said:

Im curious about ticket sales (has it started?). Cause all of this is obvs a tool to sell the tour. If she is able to have a hit tour (and probably will), i can see people's perspective over her changing quite a bit.

More than 50% sold out after 3 days. She’s selling more than It’s My Party Tour was at this rate (with higher ticket prices) and that was a sold out tour in the end. She’s also already started to add second dates due to high demand.

[Daenerys]

I'm noticing she's getting a lot more backlash than she normally has after the release of this project, and I'm starting to wonder why she did this in the first place.

I understand she took a risk, but I'm unsure what the benefit was to her overall? Maybe she answers this in the documentary, but historically J.Lo's brand has always been enough to accomplish whatever she wanted outside of that minor hiccup during the Rebirth era in 2005 up until Idol.

She seems to be taking a lot of shots lately, and I'm wondering if it was needed or worth it? In Tik Tok there's this ongoing conversation of J.Lo's brand, and if it's evolving or not. With some detractors saying she isn't relatable, and that's never been a problem beforehand. A lot of people have looked up to J.Lo and wanted to replicate her beauty and aesthetic, people are saying that's no longer the case due to her aging, and she should rebrand into something more personal, authentic and honest.

These were questions I've never thought about her before and didn't see much dialogue around before the album/film/documentary. She didn't have these challenges around her brand until now. I don't know what it is about this release that has triggered all this negative response around her, but it does seem somewhat significant given the feelings around it. 

I feel like she could have sold whatever she needed to without this. The art notwithstanding, it just seems like it poised a lot of people against her, that wouldn't have cared otherwise.

[Caviar]

"not.going.anywhere" is the best song on the album. More of this on the next album pls!

[think pink.]

You must be new here lol. The forced JLO hate campaign has been around for years. It started with the false narrative of her "stealing" vocals. And then when she had her 3rd career re-peak (Hustlers, Super Bowl) it only intensified and people began spreading straight up lies on Tiktok for engagement. Some of the more viral ones even admitted to doing so for said engagement. This is what the internet does. They see someone getting hate and then like the sheep they are join in on the hate. Don't let the target be a successful & beautiful woman either because oh boy, does that alone make it worse.

Here's the thing though, it hasn't hurt her career at all. Her tour is selling and her Amazon & Netflix deals continue to dominate said platforms and she's booked solid for more movies this year and next. The online hate is not translating in real life.

So exactly why shouldn't she do all of this? She (or any celeb for that matter) would never work again if hate comments were the determining factor In releasing something. There is always going to be hate. In fact, these idiots don't even realize that by "dragging" her film/documentary so much is only giving it more attention and making people watch it more. Thus making the streaming numbers bigger and sending the message to studios to continue to work with Jennifer lol. I think the fact that she continues to work and stay booked only makes them hate even harder because they're mad their hate isn't effecting her or her career.

Both the musical film & doc have been received well by critics & audiences and the album is her most critically acclaimed. The haters are just a loud (and miserable) minority.

[newpower]

I'm surprised how when other artists release songs inspired by the 80s or 00s sounds they call it "retro" sound. When JLo does it, it sounds "dated".
What for other artists is "sonically cohesive" for JLo is "all the songs sound the same".
Like think pink. said it's easy to jump on the hate train on the internet... enjoy the music or move to an artist that you like.

[Dreams]

“Rebound” is 🔥
That and CGE are the most single-worthy tracks.

[Ivy Leegue™]

Mar 7, 2024 13:08:52 GMT -5 Dreams said:

“Rebound” is 🔥
That and CGE are the most single-worthy tracks.

Not. Going. Anywhere is right there!

[Caviar]

Fax

[Ling-Ling]

The songs I keep going back to are "Can't Get Enough, "not.going.anywhere.," "Rebound," "Dear Ben II" (although that ring ring/sing sing line LMAO), "This Time Around" and "Midnight Trip To Vegas."

[Ivy Leegue™]

I will now declare I LOVE this album and it is her finest work. She sounds strong, the beats bang, I feel her emotion. She NAILED it. It's also very her. She didn't chase trends. She just made good fucking music. Midnight Trip To Vegas was lower on my list initially but I play the album on shuffle a lot, so it allows the slow burners to really creep in. Not the way I expected the iconic Chris Isaak song to be incorporated, but it works!

[bat1990]

Mar 7, 2024 18:21:03 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

The songs I keep going back to are "Can't Get Enough, "not.going.anywhere.," "Rebound," "Dear Ben II" (although that ring ring/sing sing line LMAO), "This Time Around" and "Midnight Trip To Vegas."

Same! The only one I add to this list is "To Be Yours." I've woken up with that hook stuck in my head twice.

[think pink.]

Ya'll are sleeping on "Hummingbird" & "Mad In Love".

The whole album slaps though. I just put it on and let it play. Oh how I've missed cohesive albums!. This was the perfect sequel to TIMT. It can be very hard and risky for artists to release a part 2 to their best work, very rarely do they ever live up to it. But she did so here.

[Ivy Leegue™]

Say you love me. Do it again. OHHHHHH OHHHHHHHHHH!!! MORRRRRRE! OMG that part in Dear Ben Pt. 2 SLAYS me.

Hummingbird is elevated by the part in the music movie but on its own, it's towards the bottom for me.

[think pink.]

"Dear Ben Pt. 2" is just delicious lol. Sooo good & romantic.