HLN’s Richelle Carey sat down with Janet Jackson at the Essence Music Festival just moments prior to her racy performance.

[WATCH: Janet Jackson Gets “Freaky” at Essence Music Festival – PHOTOS + VIDEO]

The two discussed why Janet chose this year to make her 1st appearance at the 3-day concert and they also chatted about love and her passion for acting.

Video:

Video ~ Janet Jackson’s CNN Interview

Janet on love:

I love love and I can’t live without it… and that’s what I’ve learned from my family, my friends… and that special person in my life. I’m willing to go through those pains & aches. I haven’t given up on love.

Janet on her passion for acting:

[Acting is] more of a challenge for me than singing and dancing is and I love that about it…. I wanted to go to school and study business law and make my way through school by acting.

I wanted acting to be my life and have my little thing to fall back on if it didn’t work out the way I wanted to.  My father said “No”… he said “No” that’s not gonna happen…

We all know Joe Jackson was wrong on that account, but despite successfully acting at 10 years old, and singing professionally by age 14, Janet said she doesn’t think children should enter into the business before they’re 18.

“A kid should have a life. They should enjoy their childhood,” she said. “You only get one.”