Starting Over (La Toya Jackson EP)

Work on Starting Over began in 2001 when Jackson was moved to write "Free the World" in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The song's positive reception from friends spurred on Jackson to write more songs. The project was initially conceived as a 17-track LP titled Startin' Over. The album was completed in September 2002 and was to be released through Jackson's independent label Ja-Tail Records. It was issued as a promotional copy in 2003 in order to secure a distribution deal.Emrick, Matt. [http://www.churchoflatoya.net/press/2007interviewjeffrephillips.html Church of La Toya Exclusive: Interview with La Toya's Manager] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225133029/http://www.churchoflatoya.net/press/2007interviewjeffrephillips.html |date=2020-02-25 }}, Churchoflatoya.net, 22 January 2007 In February 2005, it was announced that Ja-Tail Records had secured a distribution deal with Bungalo Records, but the project's official release was beset with delays for years.[http://www.theboombox.com/2011/07/08/la-toya-jackson-michael-jackson-new-book/ La Toya Jackson Talks Michael Jackson, New Book -- Video] Theboombox.com

In 2004, Jackson released "Just Wanna Dance", which peaked at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club chart.{{Cite web |author=Billboard Staff |date=2005-02-15 |title=La Toya Starts Over In May |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/la-toya-starts-over-in-may-64103/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}} In January 2005, she released "Free the World".{{cite web|url=https://m.top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=13580&cat=|title=La Toya Jackson Secures Distribution Deal With Bungalo/Universal Music and Video Distribution! |date=February 15, 2005}} The title track, "Starting Over", was recorded in 2006; the song was used as a jingle for Australian beverage maker Star Ice. In early 2007, Ja-Tail released "I Don't Play That", based on Jackson's experiences on the CBS reality series Armed and Famous. In 2009, Jackson released "Home" as a charity single to benefit AIDS Project Los Angeles. "I Don't Play That" and "Home" are not included on the EP.

The EP's title is a reference to the six years Jackson spent out of the public's view in order to rebuild her life after divorcing manager Jack Gordon.[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0303/04/lkl.00.html CNN.com - Transcripts: Interview With La Toya Jackson], CNN Larry King Live, March 4, 2003Ryan, Jed. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110713100246/http://www.jedryan.com/interviews/latoya.html LA TOYA JACKSON is "Startin' Over"!], PM Entertainment Magazine, May 2005 Starting Over includes autobiographical tracks about Jackson's relationship with Gordon. Several of them hint towards brutal beatings and plans to have her family killed.{{cite episode |title=LaToya Jackson Defends Michael |url=https://abcnews.go.com/2020/MichaelJackson/story?id=428847&page=1 |network=ABC News|series=ABC News |airdate=January 20, 2005}} The opening track, "Mafia Style" is a reference to Gordon's meetings with mobsters on New York's Mulberry Street. According to Jackson, "I was hearing a whole lot that I probably shouldn't have been hearing. I was the only girl, and they called me 'the kid', because these were older men and they would say, 'Is the kid going to talk?' and [Gordon] would always say, 'No, the kid doesn't talk,' because I would always say, 'I know nothing about nothing.'"

Starting Over was digitally released on June 21, 2011 to online music retailers, to coincide with the same-titled book. The EP's title track was first previewed on Jackson's official YouTube channel at the end of May.YouTube. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6IDtujAy68&feature=channel_video_title LA TOYA JACKSON STARTING OVER PROMO] A remix of "Starting Over" by Vibelicious was played during Jackson's Live and Uncensored Stickam event on July 31, 2011. She performed "Starting Over" on the September 4, 2011 episode of Mexican television series La Academia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvazteca.com/notas/la-academia/70171/-la-toya-jackson-brilla-en-la-academia-2011-|title=¡La Toya Jackson brilla en La Academia 2011!|website=Tvazteca.com|access-date=2 January 2022|archive-date=5 February 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205073755/http://www.tvazteca.com/notas/la-academia/70171/-la-toya-jackson-brilla-en-la-academia-2011-|url-status=dead}}

{{Track listing

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| all_writing = Jeffré Phillips, La Toya Jackson, and Peter Roberts

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| title1 = Mafia Style

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| length1 = 0:49

| title2 = Should've Left You

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| length2 = 3:27

| title3 = No More Drama

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| length3 = 4:22

| title4 = Don't Want You No More

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| length4 = 4:11

| title5 = Free the World

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| length5 = 3:40

| title6 = Just Wanna Dance

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| length6 = 4:18

| title7 = Starting Over

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| length7 = 3:51

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{{reflist}}

{{La Toya Jackson}}

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Category:La Toya Jackson albums

Category:2011 debut EPs