Jennifer Lopez

You may know Jennifer Lopez as the famous ‘JLo’ who has starred in numerous blockbusters and achieved iconic status in the Hispanic community. But did you know that she is one of the most successful women in business history? With over 500 million albums sold globally and over 300 million TV show appearances under her belt, JLo is truly an inspiration to women everywhere.

Early Life

The superstar was born in Manhattan on September 16, 1968. When she was just six months old, her family moved to Florida where she grew up. However, it was in New York that she developed her love for singing and dancing. It was there that she began performing as a child in various Broadway shows and musicals. She then went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Fordham University. After college, JLo moved back to Florida and worked for a mortgage company. In 1996, she launched her own jewelry line which took off. Soon after, she starred in her first television series, Selena. She has since gone on to star and produce various TV shows including The Live Show, Dance Again, and Rules of Engagement. In addition to her acting career, Lopez launched a record label and published a book of poetry in 2015. She is also a global brand ambassador for different companies and a board member of Women In Film. In 2019, she became a member of the prestigious Television Academy Hall of Fame.

Music Career

As a singer and songwriter, JLo started her career as a member of the girl group, Siesta! In 1989, she released her first self-titled album which featured the international hit, “If You Had My Love’.” The song went on to become her first solo number one single in the U.S. In 1991, she released the album, Rebirth, which spawned the number one hits, “Papi Pacify”, “I’m Gonna Be Alright”, and “Oops!…Sorry’.” These songs proved that Lopez could appeal to a mainstream U.S. audience and Latin leaders alike. The album sold over four million copies in the U.S. alone and over eight million copies worldwide. In 1999, she released her third studio album, Rebirth: Another Level. The album went on to sell over seven million copies worldwide and gave Lopez her first Grammy nomination. In 2010, she released her tenth studio album, Love? Album, which debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top 200 album charts. In addition to her music career, JLo has produced and released ten studio albums, one soundtrack album, and one collaborative album with Marc Anthony. She has also charted on the Billboard Top 100 album charts with ten solo albums and one group album with Marc Anthony. Her albums have seen multiple nominations and awards from the Grammy, World Music, and Latin Grammy Awards. In 2019, JLo was named Woman of the Year by the International Association of the American Society of Cinematographers (Black Filmmakers).

As a dancer, producer, and singer, JLo has worked with some of the biggest artists in the world. She was the first Latin artist to ever perform at a Super Bowl halftime show and has since gone on to perform at numerous other halftime shows as well as the Academy Awards, the Grammys, and the Emmys. She also starred in the 2001 Broadway production of Evita, which garnered her a Tony Award nomination. Her impressive resume also includes being one of the judges on television series, Dance Moms, as well as the voice of Sally in the animated movie, Alpha and Omega: The Hidden Secrets of Enoch. In 2019, she was also named one of Forbes Magazine’s List of Most Influential Women in Business.

Businesses and Philanthropy

Besides her music career, JLo has established herself as one of the most successful women in business history. In 2009, she became the first woman to be named Billboard’s Women in Music’s Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2019, she was named a Global Brand Ambassador for Swarovski and a Creative Ambassador for Net-a-Porter.

Since her music career took off, JLo has established herself as a major philanthropist and supported numerous charities. She has partnered with eBay to auction off a collection of jewelry, personal items, and more to raise money for charity. In 2019, she co-founded the Laughter Therapy initiative with Dr. Ruth, which brings live comedy to patients to help them relax and reduce their anxiety. Over the years, Lopez has donated millions of dollars to various charities and social causes. In 2020, she made headlines for donating $500,000 to help bring back the Western Art District in Fort Worth, Texas. She is also well known for her work with the Human Rights Campaign, GLSEN, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, and the Trevor Project among other organizations.

Besides her work with numerous charities, JLo has also established herself as an environmental activist. In an effort to reduce her ecological footprint, she and Marc Anthony have donated over $1.7 million to organizations supporting sustainable agriculture. Most recently, she partnered with Ava Acoustic to create a limited collection of instruments made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. The collection of six instruments is the first of its kind in the world and is called the Sustainability Series.

Personal Life

Aside from her impressive professional life, JLo is also well-known for her lavish and luxurious personal life. She has been married to Marc Anthony since 1993 and together, they have three children. In 2007, she made headlines for purchasing a $15 million home in Holmby Hills, California, which she later donated to charity. In 2014, she became the first woman to appear on the cover of Forbes Magazine in their 75th anniversary issue. That same year, she was also named one of Vanity Fair’s ‘Most Powerful Women in Media’. In 2019, she made headlines for purchasing a $15 million Spanish-style mansion in Beverly Hills, California. This is the third time she has been featured on the cover of Forbes Magazine. Soon after, she donated the mansion to charity.

JLo is also well-known for her charitable activities off-camera as much as on. In 2020, she launched the Love Is… tour, which stops in cities across the U.S. and Canada this spring and summer. The tour will raise money for the American Foundation for AIDS Research and the Human Rights Campaign. She is also an ambassador for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and an advocate for the LGBTQ community. In 2019, she supported the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and the National LGBTQ Task Force in their battle against Trump’s anti-LGBTQ executive order (Protecting Life within the Constitution of the United States).

In Conclusion

If you are reading this, I assume you are either: a) a rabid fan of Jennifer Lopez, b) a journalist researching an article on Latin music, or c) a filmmaker trying to secure an interview with the megastar. If you’re not already aware of Jennifer Lopez’s incredible music, acting, and business career, then I urge you to listen to some of her songs, watch one of her movies, or read one of her books. JLo’s story is amazing and definitely worth telling. She may not seem like the most conventional role model, but her accomplishments are truly remarkable.