A hot air ballon ride with Sir Richard Branson helped Janet Jackson sign to Virgin Records.
The hot commodity picked the label - now owned by Universal Music Group - in 1991 after the peaceful and serene experience enabled the co-founder to "sweeten the deal", and being offered "the largest amount of money ever to be offered to any singer".
On Monday (18.05.26), Richard, now 75, marked the 33rd anniversary of the singer's fifth studio album, Janet, by telling his Instagram followers how Virgin Records was responsible for its release.
He posted a shot of him and the five-time Grammy winner, now 60, in the hot air balloon with the caption: "On this day in 1993, @JanetJackson released her iconic album, Janet, through Virgin Records.
"Everyone wanted to sign Janet, and I knew I would have to pull out all the stops to sign her. I convinced Janet to join me on a hot air balloon ride, which sweetened the deal, but I knew in the end her managers would make it all about the upfront money.
"Throughout my business life I have always tried to keep on top of costs and protect the downside risk as much as possible. (sic)"
But Richard said that this was a "rare exception" because he "knew it would cement us at the hottest label on the planet".
The billionaire gave Janet "the largest amount of money ever to be offered to any singer" to ensure the That's The Way Love Goes hitmaker signed to his label, following talks with Virgin Records executives Simon Draper and Ken Berry.
Richard also decided to "break all the rules of the record industry".
The business mogul explained: "Rather than tying her down for a number of future albums, Virgin would offer her a contract for just one album."
And Richard is glad that pulling out all the stops to sign Janet paid off.
He concluded: "Thankfully, the risk was worth it. Janet loved Virgin and remained signed to us for 17 years – a period in which she released five top-selling albums, including Janet, which sold more than 20 million copies worldwide."
Following the release of Janet and her 1995 greatest hits album, Design of a Decade, the performer signed another deal - worth a reported $80 million - with Virgin Records in January 1996.
