LaToya Jackson American singer, sister of Michael Jackson Date of Birth: 29.05.1956 Country: USA

Biography of La Toya Jackson

La Toya Jackson, an American singer and the sister of Michael Jackson, was born in 1956 in Gary, Indiana. She grew up as a shy and home-loving girl, following her mother, Katherine, when she joined the Jehovah's Witnesses. La Toya's younger brother, Michael, also joined the church, and together, they actively recruited others to join them.

At the age of sixteen, La Toya joined her brothers and began participating in shows, singing and dancing. Although she would have preferred to become a lawyer, their father insisted that the family business was show business. Their father, Joe Jackson, raised his children with strict discipline, sometimes forcing them to develop their musical talents. This method of "raising stars" proved to be effective.

After studying briefly in college, La Toya had to give up her education as the demands of concerts took up too much time. In the 1970s, La Toya appeared alongside her sisters, Rebbie and Janet, in a television project called "The Jacksons." She sang, danced, and performed sketches, showcasing her talent. Later, she became part of a female group with her sisters, but the trio quickly disbanded due to irreconcilable differences.

In the 1980s, La Toya released her first solo album, titled "La Toya Jackson." She wanted to omit her last name from the title and use only her first name as a stage name, wanting to establish her own identity separate from her famous family. However, her father insisted that she should be proud of her family name. Despite not achieving significant commercial success, the album had moderate success and gained some popularity.

La Toya's next studio album, "My Special Love," followed a similar pattern. Although she never managed to produce any particularly significant solo projects, some of her songs, such as "If You Feel the Funk," "Night Time Lover," "Bet'cha Gonna Need My Lovin'," "Heart Don't Lie," and "Hot Potato," became popular and charted high.

In 1988, La Toya finally managed to distance herself from her famous surname, releasing an album simply titled "La Toya." However, by that time, it had little impact as her family name had already established her reputation.

In 1987, La Toya hired Jack Gordon as her manager, which marked a significant change in her image. She became more sexually provocative, leading to a scandal within the family. As a result, La Toya moved to New York. In 1989, she posed nude for Playboy and released another album titled "Bad Girl."

La Toya married Jack Gordon in September 1989, but she later claimed that the marriage occurred against her will. For the next decade, Gordon controlled every aspect of her life, using manipulation and even violence. After Gordon's death in 2005, La Toya revealed the details of her life with him in her autobiography, "La Toya: Growing Up in the Jackson Family."

Returning to her family and reconciling with her parents, La Toya began a lengthy and painful divorce process. She felt lost and unsure about her future and career. Her last musical album was released in 1995, and she no longer believed in her own talent.

Over time, the Jackson family forgave La Toya for her controversial actions and remarks about them in the press. She started appearing on television, participating in shows and various non-musical projects. In 2007, she appeared in the show "Armed & Famous," and in 2009, she joined the popular show "Celebrity Big Brother."

After her brother Michael's death, La Toya was the first to arrive at the hospital and initiated investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death. She also publicly questioned the official cause of his death.

Today, La Toya Jackson is a socialite who enjoys giving interviews and appearing on television. In honor of her brother Michael, she wrote and performed the song "Home" a month after his death.