A singer? A brand name? A showbiz mogul-juggernaut. The second most gifted of The Jacksons, she began as a child actress on their TV show, and later on the sitcom Good Times (plus, still later, a season on Diff'rent Strokes as Willis' love interest, IIRC). Someone thought (wrongly) she might be able to sing, and signed her up. Prior to the 80's masterpiece Control (done with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis), she'd racked up flop LPs and one bad Hollywood marriage (to a DeBarge brother). The baby-fat is gone (...and I can see her belly button! Not that I was asking to, y'unnerstan'), the career's well-managed, she sings better, etc, etc.