But Janet's bounced back, big time. And at the insistence of two trusted pals, she's set out once again, for the All for You tour. Like any comeback, the tour had its own bumps in the road before it got started. A key part of her stage set didn't arrive in time for the scheduled Vancouver opening, so the trek got underway two nights later in Portland. It was in Vancouver — before the postponement — that MTV News' John Norris sat down with Janet to talk about touring, rumors of a rivalry with Mariah Carey, superstar brother Michael's upcoming record and why change is good.

John Norris: When you were starting out the U.S. leg of the Velvet Rope tour in 1998, you told me it was possible that that would be your last tour. Here we are two and half years later and you're doing it again.

Janet Jackson: I let two people talk me into it, [dancer and tour co-choreographer] Shawnette [Heard] and [dancer] Gil [Duldulao]. I truly felt that was going to be my last tour. I remember when it came to the end of the tour they kept saying, "No, you can't." I was like, "What do you mean I can't?" [They said], "You have to do another tour." So here we are again and I'm saying this will probably be my last tour. That's truly the way I'm looking at it. [RealVideo]

Norris: Was it that Velvet Rope was a negative experience?

Janet: No, it was a wonderful experience. There's just other things I'd like to do. I probably won't tour [again] for a very, very long time. It's something that you feel inside and that's the way I've been looking at everything. [I've just been] taking it all in, because I really do feel in my heart this is my last one.

Norris: With some of your songs there's such identifiable, classic choreography. Are you keeping some of the old choreography, or have you reworked everything?

Janet: No, we're keeping some of the old stuff and [we] reworked some stuff. Then there's some completely new stuff from beginning to end. It's been very challenging, because you get used to working with one choreographer and their style. You kind of get stuck in that vein and you work your way out of it, picking up someone else's style, their flavor. It takes a little bit of time.

Norris: A change I want to ask you about is not having your former husband, Rene Elizondo, around this time. As you start a big world tour, do you notice his absence? Did he fill roles that aren't there now?

Janet: No. I don't mean this in a negative way whatsoever, I'm just being truthful. It's been wonderful. It really has. I'm not trying to be malicious. The only thing that Rene actually did with Velvet Rope is ... I was so busy [that] I needed help with the opening, so he stayed back in L.A. and oversaw [the] production of the opening of the show.

Norris: Does it take a lot of work to get yourself up to touring level physically and mentally?

Janet: Yeah, but it comes gradually. That comes with the rehearsals and the eight hours of dancing. And working out so many hours a day before that, before going into tour rehearsals. But you get yourself up for it somehow, and your endurance and the crowd gets you up, too. In the beginning, you're so excited, so gung-ho that you have to pace yourself. You wind up giving so much of yourself. One of the tours, I found myself backstage going, "Oh my God, we're only at "Black Cat" and I've got half the show to go!" I needed to sit down, and I couldn't. I had to run right back out. But you find the energy.

Norris: Your fans have a lot of strong feelings about everything, from what the set list should be to the next single. They did an informal poll on your Web site and they thought the next singles should be "Come On Get Up" and "Trust a Try." Do you have any idea what the next single will be?

Janet: There will be two. "Come On Get Up" and "Son of a Gun." But I'll get around to "Trust a Try," because I love that song.

Norris: Do you think the "Son Of A Gun" video will feature [duet partner] Carly Simon?

Janet: I'd love for it to. We're talking about it right now.

Norris: "Son of a Gun" is in this show. I know you've said portions of it refer to your relationship, your marriage.

Janet: I did?

Norris: Will there be any reference to that?

Janet: I did? I didn't say that.

Norris: Didn't you say there were a couple of lines ...

Janet: That I wrote?

Norris: I shouldn't have read into it.

Janet: [Laughs] Everybody says that. Actually, that song's about a few people, not one person in particular. Everyone likes to [say], "Ah, I know that's about Rene." It's about a few people that have entered and exited my life.

Norris: It certainly can apply to a lot of people. I just thought you had said that ...

Janet: No.

Norris: So you won't make reference onstage to anyone in particular. There won't be any visuals up on the screen?

Janet: Yeah, everyone I'm talking about, [there will be] a picture of them with a circle and a line drawn through. [Laughs]

Norris: Can you tell me how you decided to have 112 open this tour?

Janet: They're so awesome. I'm a big fan of theirs. I love their album. I think it's a wonderful album, and I hear they're excited. I know we are [excited] to have them join us.

Norris: I think other than your tour and a few others this summer, the one thing that's on everyone's lips is your brother Michael's next record. Have you heard any of it?

Janet: No, I sure haven't. I can't wait to hear it. I'm excited, and I know he is [too]. I want to see the [concert] special. I don't know if it's a live special. If it is, I'll have to tape it, because I have a show that night.

Norris: Did he ask you to be a part of that show?

Janet: Yeah, he did. He asked me just a few weeks too late. I really wanted to. I have a show that night, unfortunately. I couldn't get out of it.

Norris: There's been some speculation lately that there might be some tension around Virgin Records because of a certain other very accomplished...

Janet: Oh, Mariah?

Norris: Yes.

Janet: It's really funny that you bring that up, because I heard that for the first time when I was here in Canada a couple of months back. That's not true.

Norris: No beef with Mariah?

Janet: No, not at all. What did they say? That I was pissed off or something at her deal? No. I mean you can't hold the record [for biggest record contract] forever, and I know that. I'm not stupid. I sent her flowers welcoming her to the family. People just like mess, they truly do. There's nothing going on.