Janet Jackson has always been the queen of privacy. Even at the height of the Jackson family’s global domination, she managed to keep her inner world mostly locked away. But when she announced her pregnancy at 50, the world collectively gasped. Now, years later, the big question on everyone’s mind—usually typed into a search bar late at night—is how old is janet jackson's son right now?
Honestly, time is moving way faster than any of us realized.
As of early 2026, Janet Jackson’s son, Eissa Al Mana, is 9 years old. He just hit that big milestone on January 3, 2026. It feels like only yesterday we were seeing that first "nap time" photo of him yawning, but he’s officially a preteen-in-training.
The Reality of Raising Eissa Al Mana
Janet doesn't do the "stage mom" thing. You won't find Eissa with his own YouTube channel or a line of toddler vitamins. Instead, she’s been incredibly vocal about wanting him to have the childhood she never really got. Remember, Janet was working on variety shows and recording albums when she was barely out of elementary school. She’s determined to make sure Eissa just gets to be a kid.
Basically, he’s living a relatively "normal" life in London, despite having a pop icon for a mom and a billionaire, Wissam Al Mana, for a father.
Why the world is obsessed with his age
People are fascinated by Eissa partly because of the "miracle baby" narrative. Janet welcoming a child at age 50 was a massive talking point for women’s health and late-stage motherhood. Because she keeps him out of the spotlight, every time she shares a tiny update, it goes viral.
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For his 9th birthday this year, Janet actually gave us a rare peek into his interests. She posted a photo of his cake, and it wasn't some refined, boring gala cake. It was a massive, red-and-black PlayStation controller.
The kid is clearly a gamer.
The cake featured characters from Astro Bot, and there were edible nods to Minecraft and Astro’s Playroom. It’s kind of refreshing to see that the son of one of the most famous women on the planet is obsessed with the same stuff every other 9-year-old is.
Co-Parenting in the Public Eye
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. You’ve probably heard the rumors over the years about the friction between Janet and Wissam. They split up only three months after Eissa was born in 2017.
Cultural differences played a huge role. Janet has mentioned in interviews—most notably with The Guardian in late 2024—that she’s a single mother, though she and Wissam do co-parent. There was a scary moment years ago involving a welfare check at a hotel, but these days, things seem to have settled into a quiet rhythm in London.
A different kind of Jackson upbringing
Janet is very deliberate about her parenting style. She’s admitted that there are things she wishes her own parents, Joe and Katherine, had done differently.
- No Nannies? For a long time, Janet famously didn't use a live-in nanny. She wanted to do the "heavy lifting" herself—the diapers, the feedings, the tantrums.
- The London Life: By staying in the UK, she avoids the constant paparazzi swarm of Los Angeles or New York.
- Creative Freedom: Eissa is reportedly very musical (no surprise there), but Janet isn't pushing him toward a career. He plays the cello and the violin. She’s mentioned he has a "great ear," but she’s firm: he needs to enjoy being a child first.
How old is Janet Jackson's son compared to her career milestones?
To put Eissa’s age into perspective, when Janet was his age (9), she was already performing in Las Vegas with her brothers. By the time she was 16, she had her first album out.
Eissa is 9 and probably just trying to beat a level in Astro Bot.
That contrast is exactly what Janet wanted. She’s called motherhood the "most important thing" she’s ever done. More than the Grammys, more than the Super Bowl, more than the record-breaking tours. It’s changed her. You can hear it in the way she talks now—there’s a softness that wasn’t always there during the Velvet Rope or Control eras.
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What’s next for Eissa?
As Eissa heads deeper into his school years, the privacy wall will likely get even higher. Janet is protective, and rightfully so. We might see him occasionally backstage—he was spotted wearing ear protection at her Together Again tour stops in 2024—but don't expect a public Instagram account anytime soon.
If you’re looking to keep up with how Eissa is growing, the best bet is to keep an eye on Janet’s official social channels around early January. That seems to be the one time a year she "breaks cover" to celebrate her "beautiful heart and soul."
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're following Janet’s journey as a mother, here are a few things to keep in mind:
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- Respect the boundaries: Janet has made it clear that Eissa is off-limits for the most part. Fans who respect that privacy tend to get more "authentic" snippets from her during interviews.
- Watch the music: Keep an ear out for Janet's future projects. She’s hinted that Eissa’s influence has changed the "vibe" of the music she’s writing now.
- Check the date: Since Eissa was born on January 3, 2017, just add the current year minus 2017 to get his age. In 2026, he is 9. In 2027, he’ll hit double digits at 10.
Janet Jackson is proof that motherhood doesn't have a deadline and that "Control" looks a lot different when you're raising a son who just wants to play video games.