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An enthusiast who pays tribute to Michael Jackson by impersonating him recently had a unique way of honoring the music icon’s memory, as he managed to meet Michael’s sister, Janet Jackson, just shy of the 15th anniversary of the superstar’s death. However, the opportunity came with a significant price tag.
Carlo Riley, known for his MJ impersonations, shared with TMZ that his encounter with Janet happened after one of her concerts in St. Louis last weekend. He didn’t just attend the concert; he also opted to spend an additional $2,000 for a meet-and-greet opportunity with the singer post-show.
Riley recounted that he has seen Janet in concert before, where she had acknowledged him in the audience. Yet, this was the inaugural time they met in person.
He expressed his gratitude to Janet for her performance, to which she responded with a smile during their brief interaction. They also took a moment to capture a photo together.
This isn’t Riley’s first brush with members of the Jackson family. In the past, he has managed to secure photo ops with several relatives including Prince, Paris, Katherine, Joseph, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon, and Jackie. Despite these encounters, Riley considers meeting Michael Jackson himself in Japan during a Thriller 25th anniversary celebration in 2007 as his most memorable experience.
As for the timing of his meeting with Janet, Riley saw it as a fitting tribute to Michael Jackson’s legacy, especially with the anniversary of Michael’s passing occurring on Tuesday of the same week as the concert. He noted Janet performed “Scream,” her 199.5 collaboration with Michael, during the show, although she did not directly mention her brother’s death onstage.