In July, Janet Jackson went viral when she went on Heart Evenings With Dev Griffin and politely expressed her disinterest in interviews: “I don’t mean to be rude, but I have to be honest with you. Please stop asking me questions. I’ve never thought I give a good interview. I really don’t like speaking, so I’d rather stay quiet and listen to other people talk, and that’s always been me.” The music icon proved this with her new interview in The Guardian.

Because Jackson often sings about social injustice, journalist Nosheen Iqbal mentioned that “America could be on the verge of voting in its first black female president, Kamala Harris.” Jackson replied, “Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not black. That’s what I heard. That she’s Indian.” The interaction didn’t get better from there. Here’s an excerpt:

She looks at me expectantly, perhaps assuming that I have Indian heritage.

“Well, she’s both,” I offer.

“Her father’s white. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days,” she coughs. “I was told that they discovered her father was white.”

The rumors began a couple of months ago when Donald Trump questioned Harris’ racial identity, but it’s well known that her father is Jamaican while her mother is Indian. When asked if she thinks America is ready for a president who is a woman of color, Jackson said, “I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t want to answer that because I really, truthfully, don’t know. I think either way it goes is going to be mayhem.”

Read the full interview here.

UPDATE: A spokesperson for Jackson issued a statement to Buzzfeed following the backlash, reading in part:

She deeply respects Vice President Kamala Harris and her accomplishments as a Black and Indian woman… Janet apologizes for any confusion caused and acknowledges the importance of accurate representation in public discourse… We appreciate the opportunity to address this and will remain committed to promoting unity.

UPDATE 2: The apology published by Buzzfeed was not authorized, Variety now reports, and was not provided by Jackson’s management.

Janet Jackson when asked if she has a least favorite question:

“Please stop asking me questions … I really don’t like speaking.” https://t.co/915RvhRjOP

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 17, 2024