Jennifer Lopez has announced her upcoming album and confirmed that it will be titled, This Is Me… Now. Lopez shared the news on November 25–the 20th anniversary of her studio album, This Is Me… Then.
The new album is a follow-up to her 2002 album which was inspired by her relationship with Ben Affleck and featured some of her biggest hits, such as Jenny from the Block.
Lopez teased something big on November 23, when she changed her social media profiles to black and deleted her Instagram posts. It isn’t uncommon for celebrities to do this when gearing up for a major announcement.
After building up the anticipation, she made the official announcement with a transition video. The video started with an image of the This Is Me… Then album art, where Lopez posed in a pink beanie and frilly pink blouse.
However, the album art slowly transformed into the Lopez of today. The modern Lopez removed her pink cap and blouse and posed in a white crop top and leather jacket.
In the video, she stated, “This was me then, this is me now.”
Jennifer Lopez will release a new album in 2023
After the transition, the video faded to black. Text appeared over the screen which read, “The Musical Experience” and, underneath it, the year 2023, indicating the album’s anticipated year of release.
The album will feature 13 new songs and Lopez included their titles, many of which appear to be love songs, seemingly confirming the upcoming album will also be dedicated to Affleck.
One song, titled Dear Ben pt. II will likely be a follow-up to her 2002 song, Dear Ben. Affleck and Lopez were engaged when This Is Me… Then was released, though they later broke it off before rekindling their romance and subsequently marrying in 2022.
Lopez had previously confirmed to Vogue that she was working on a new album. However, she did not share the album’s title or release date at the time.
This Is Me… Now will mark Lopez’s first new album since A.K.A., which was released in 2014.
During her nine-year album break, Lopez was still involved in music. In 2021, she released the single Marry Me, which was part of the soundtrack for the rom-com film of the same name that she starred in with Owen Wilson.
What to expect from This Is Me… Now
Based on what Lopez told Vogue, her upcoming album will be a very personal one. She stated that the album is a “culmination of who I am as a person and an artist.”
Lopez doesn’t just want to address changes in her musical style through the album, but also in her life. She stated, “I feel like I’m at a place in my life, finally, where I have something to say about it.”
While the album is confirmed to contain at least one song dedicated to Affleck, it may explore more than just the rekindling of her romance with him. She indicated an interest in really opening up on her journey throughout the past 20 years.