| Birth name | Jennifer Lynn Lopez |
| Born | July 24, 1969 |
| Genres | Latin pop, R&B, pop, dance pop |
| Occupations | Actress, singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, fashion designer, television producer |
| Years active | 1986–present |
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. Most people known by her nickname J.Lo, She was born in the Bronx, New York. She is the daughter of Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe, a kindergarten teacher, and David Lopez, a computer specialist, both born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Lopez was raised Roman Catholic. She has two siblings, Lynda and Leslie. Lopez spent her entire academic career in Catholic schools, finishing at the all girls Preston High School in the Bronx. She financed singing and dancing lessons for herself from the age of 19. After attending Baruch College for one semester, Lopez divided her time between working as a notary public in a legal office, dance classes, and dance performances in Manhattan night clubs. After months of auditioning for dance roles, Lopez was selected as a dancer for various rap music videos. She gained her first regular high profile job as a "Fly Girl" dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color from 1991-1993. Soon after, Lopez became a backup dancer for Janet Jackson and made an appearance in her 1993 video "That's the Way Love Goes".
Lopez came to prominence within the music industry following the release of her debut studio album “On the 6”, which spawned the number one hit single "If You Had My Love". Her second studio album J.Lo (2001) was a commercial success, selling 8 million copies worldwide. She released two albums including her first full Spanish language album “Como Ama una Mujer”, and her fifth English studio album Brave. Returning to music with a new record label, Lopez is scheduled to release her seventh studio album, titled Love?, on April 19, 2011. Its single "On the Floor" is currently impacting charts worldwide. Her contributions to the music industry have garnered her numerous achievements including two Grammy Award nominations; two Latin Grammy Award nominations; three American Music Awards, amongst six nominations; and the estimated sale of over 55 million records worldwide. Billboard ranked her as the 27th Artist of the 2000s decade. Lending her musical knowledge to others, Lopez is currently a member of the judging panel of American reality television competition American Idol. Jennifer Lopez has parlayed her media fame into a fashion line and various perfumes with her celebrity endorsement. Outside of her work in the entertainment industry, Lopez advocates human rights, vaccinations and is a supporter of Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
