hey everyone welcome back to our Channel where we bring English to life through the power of stories today we're starting a special series on one of the greatest entertainers of all time Michael Jackson this is a journey through his incredible life from his childhood dreams to the unforgettable Mark he left on the world so you won't miss a thing Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29th 1958 in a small town called Gary Indiana in the United States he was the eighth child in a large family with nine kids his parents were Joseph or Joe
Jackson and Catherine Jackson Joe worked in a steel mill which was hard physical work and he also played guitar Catherine loved to sing and played the piano Michael had five brothers Jackie Tito Germaine Marlon and Randy and three sisters Reby Latoya and Janet from a young age Michael loved music and dancing he grew up in a house filled with music because his mother loved to sing and his father Joe encouraged his kids to practice music every day in fact Joe was strict sometimes too strict he wanted his children to succeed and he pushed them hard
sometimes Joe's way of pushing his children was harsh and this strictness made Michael very serious about his dreams from a young age Michael's big break started when he was was just 6 years old his father noticed how talented Michael was not only as a singer but also as a dancer Joe had already started a band with Michael's older brothers called the Jackson brothers but when he saw Michael's Talent he decided to make him the lead singer even though he was the youngest in 1964 the group changed changed its name to the Jackson 5 Michael's voice
was strong and he had an amazing presence on stage even as a young boy he danced sang and entertained with so much energy that people couldn't believe he was only a child he had a magical way of connecting with the audience that left them in awe The Jackson 5 began performing in small clubs and talent shows and they quickly became popular they practiced every single day often for hours they performed all over Indiana and Illinois and each show helped them grow in confidence it wasn't long before they caught the attention of music producers in 1968
the Jackson Five got a chance that would change their lives they auditioned for Barry Gordy the head of mtown Records a famous music company known for discovering Stars Gordy was impressed with the group's energy and Michael's Talent as a singer and Dancer soon The Jackson 5 signed a contract with mtown records and their lives would never be the same under mtown the Jackson 5 recorded their first single I want you back in 1969 when the song was released it quickly became a huge hit reaching number one on the charts imagine a young Michael Jackson just
11 years old hearing his song played all over the radio it was a dream come true their next few singles ABC the love you save and I'll be there were all so huge hits the Jackson 5 became famous all over the United States and even around the world people loved their music their dancing and especially young Michael who stole the show with his powerful voice and Charisma even though Michael was now a big star life wasn't always easy Fame came with a lot of challenges Michael had to work very hard sometimes performing shows and recording
songs almost every day he didn't have a normal childhood as he couldn't go to school like other kids or play with friends instead he was always practicing performing or traveling with his family he also felt a lot of pressure his father Joe wanted the Jackson 5 to stay successful so he pushed them to always be the best this pressure made Michael very serious even though he was so young while he loved performing he sometimes felt lonely because his life was so different from other kids his age even as a child Michael dreamed of doing something
bigger he loved being part of the Jackson 5 but he also wanted to make his own music he admired artists like James Brown and Stevie Wonder who inspired him to reach for more by the time he was a teenager Michael started thinking about a solo career he wanted to sing songs that reflected his own thoughts and emotions but he wasn't sure if it would be possible his family's group was so popular that the idea of breaking away seemed scary as a teenager Michael Jackson was becoming Restless he loved the Jackson 5 but he knew he
wanted to make music that was truly his own in 1971 at only 13 Michael released his first solo single got to be there this was his first step into a solo career and it showed everyone that Michael was more than just the young lead singer of The Jackson 5 he was a star in his own right in 1979 Michael released an album called off thewall a huge moment for him as a solo artist the album was a mix of Pop disco and Funk and it became an instant success songs like Don't Stop Till You Get
Enough and rock with you reach the top of the chart and Michael's popularity skyrocketed this was also the beginning of Michael working with producer Quincy Jones who would become a big part of his success but Michael wanted more he wanted to make music that would break boundaries and change pop culture forever in 1982 he released Thriller the album that would make him a global Superstar and earn him the title King of Pop Thriller became the best-selling album of all time with hits like Billy Jean beat it and of course Thriller the Thriller music video was
groundbreaking it was more than just a video it was a short movie with Incredible dance moves makeup and special effects the zombie dance became famous and people all around the world tried to copy it in 1983 Michael performed his famous moonwalk dance move for the first time during a performance of Billy Jean on a TV special called mtown 25 yesterday today forever the moonwalk became one of Michael's signature moves and it left the audience in awe this was when Michael's style started to take shape AP he wore one glove sparkly jackets white socks with black
shoes and a fedora hat his style became as iconic as his music and fans everywhere wanted to dress like him as Michael's Fame grew people noticed that his appearance was changing he had a skin condition called Vitiligo which caused his skin to lose its color in patches this led to speculation and rumors with some people saying he was bleaching his skin to manage his Vitti ligo Michael used makeup to even out his skin tone which sometimes made him look paler he also underwent plastic surgeries such as nose jobs because he was very self-conscious about his
appearance Michael's Chang looks became a big Topic in the media and he often felt misunderstood by the public personal life and relationships during the 1980s and 1990s Michael had several close friendships with celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor Diana Ross and Brook Shields he also dated briefly but he was often private about his relationships in 1994 he shocked the World by marrying Lisa Marie Presley the daughter of Elvis Presley their marriage was highly publicized and people were curious about their relationship however after 2 years they divorced in 1996 in 1997 Michael married Debbie row a nurse who
had worked for his dermatologist together they had two children a son Michael Joseph Jackson Jr often called prince and a daughter Paris Michael Catherine Jackson Michael was overjoyed to become a father and he loved his children deeply his marriage to Debbie didn't last long and they divorced in 1999 n but Michael retained custody of his children later in 2002 Michael had a third child Prince Michael Jackson the second also known as blanket through a surrogate mother Michael was very protective of his children and tried to give them a loving private life despite the constant media
attention in the 2000s Michael faced serious challenges he was accused of inappropriate behavior which led to a highly publicized court case he went through a long and stressful trial but was eventually found not guilty on all charges in 2005 this period was difficult for Michael as the negative media coverage took a toll on his mental health he felt deeply hurt and betrayed and he became more inclusive choosing to stay away from the public eye despite these struggles Michael remained passionate about music he announced a comeback tour in 2009 called This is it which was set
to be a series of 50 concerts in London fans were thrilled and eagerly awaited his return to the stage Michael spent months rehearsing working hard to make the show show Unforgettable on June 25th 2009 the world received shocking news Michael Jackson had died at the age of 50 he had suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles the cause of his death was later found to be an overdose of a powerful sedative which his doctor had prescribed Michael's death stuned uned fans friends and family around the world people couldn't believe that the King
of Pop was gone millions of fans mourned his death and tributes poured in from every corner of the globe Michael's family held a memorial service on July 7th 2009 at the Staple Center in Los Angeles many celebrities and close friends paid their respect and his daughter Paris gave a heartfelt speech saying Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine even after his death Michael Jackson's influence on music dance and pop culture continues to be felt around the world his songs are Timeless his dance moves are still admired and copied and he is remembered
as is one of the greatest performers in history Michael's life was filled with triumphs and challenges love and loneliness but through it all he remained dedicated to his art Michael Jackson's story is one of talent dedication and an everlasting impact on the world of Music he wasn't just an Entertainer he was a visionary who changed what music and dance could be his life reminds us that even the greatest Stars can face Darkness but they still shine bright in our memories Michael Jackson will forever be remembered as the King of Pop a title that captures the
incredible Mark he left on our hearts
