LONDON – Twenty years after she put out her album This Is Me... Then, American singer-actress Jennifer Lopez announced last Friday a follow-up This Is Me... Now, to be released next year.
The 53-year-old, who deleted posts from her Instagram account last week, shared a video clip on the social media platform in which she recreated the 2002 record’s cover of herself dressed in a pink top and hat before turning into her current older self while saying: “This is me then... this is me now.”
According to a press release, this new project “chronicles the emotional, spiritual and psychological journey that she has taken over the past two decades”.
The 2002 album, which featured hit songs Jenny From The Block and All I Have, was inspired by Lopez’ relationship at the time with actor Ben Affleck and was dedicated to the Hollywood star of movies such as Good Will Hunting (1997) and Argo (2012). She had previously said it was her favourite album.
The couple, dubbed Bennifer, got engaged but called off their wedding in 2003 and split up a few months later.
They rekindled their romance last year and married in Las Vegas in July.
In her Instagram post, Lopez listed the new album’s 13 song titles, including Midnight Trip To Vegas, which seemingly references her wedding, and Dear Ben Pt. ll. In her album 20 years ago, there was a track titled Dear Ben.
Her album announcement also spawned a hashtag on Instagram, #ThisIsMeThenAndNow, with netizens sharing their own past and present photos.
This Is Me... Now will be the ninth studio album for Lopez, who has sold more than 80 million records worldwide and is considered one of the most influential Hispanic entertainers in North America. Her last album was 2014’s A.K.A. REUTERS
