Iconic artist Jennifer Lopez has recently opened up about how her rekindled relationship with actor Ben Affleck has been a powerful muse for her return to music. It’s been eight years since her last album, 2014’s ‘A.K.A.’, and two decades since 2002’s ‘This Is Me… Then’, an album significantly inspired by her initial romance with Affleck. After their reunion in 2021 and subsequent marriage, Lopez is on the brink of unveiling her ninth studio album, ‘This Is Me… Now’.
In a candid conversation with ET, Lopez shared how reconnecting with Affleck was the catalyst for her renewed desire to create music. “When Ben and I got back together, it was just like, ‘I want to make music again, I want to get back in the studio,'” she reflected. “I was very, very inspired.”
‘This Is Me… Now’ is not just an album; it’s a comprehensive artistic project that includes a narrative-driven short film directed by Dave Meyers, set to premiere on Amazon Prime on February 16. The short film, titled ‘This Is Me… Now: A Love Story’, complements the album’s release. Lopez candidly expressed her mixed feelings about diving back into the music realm after a decade focused on acting. “Half the time, I was thinking, ‘This is amazing! I am so excited that I’m doing this!’ And then half the time I was like, ‘Why are you doing this? You are so crazy,'” she said. Her words underline the inherent vulnerability and courage in the artistic process.
The upcoming album, enriched by her rekindled romance with Affleck, is described by Lopez as a deeply personal and unique expression of love. “Once the music was done, it felt so special to me,” she stated. “It felt like something very different than I had ever done, even though I’ve written about love my whole career.” She aims to capture the essence of their joyous love in a musical form that she describes as “a little bit more evolved and healed… [and] kind of magical.”
Fans have already been treated to a glimpse of what’s to come with the release of the dance-infused single “Can’t Get Enough” from the album. It also features a sequel to a track from the first ‘This Is Me’ album, “Dear Ben Pt. II,” further connecting her past and present artistic journeys.