Feelin' So Good (video) - Background

Background

From a young age, Lopez's Puerto Rican parents stressed the importance of work ethic and being able to speak English. They encouraged their three daughters to put on performances at home, singing and dancing in front of each other and their friends so that they would stay "out of trouble". While attending her final year of high school, Lopez learned about a film casting that was seeking several teenage girls for small roles. She auditioned and was cast in My Little Girl (1986), an low-budget film co-written and directed by Connie Kaiserman. After she finished filming her role in the film, Lopez knew that she wanted to become a "famous movie star". She told her parents this, but they ensisted that it was a "really stupid" idea and that "no Latinos did that". Their disagreements led Lopez to move out of their family home and into an apartment in Manhattan. During this period, Lopez performed in regional productions of several musicals, before being hired for the chorus in a musical that toured Europe for five months. She was unhappy with the role, as she was the only member of the chorus not to have a solo. From there, she got a job on the show Synchronicity in Japan, where she acted as a dancer, singer and a choreographer. Lopez then gained her first regular high-profile job as a Fly Girl dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. She moved to Los Angeles with then-boyfriend David Cruz to film the series and remained a regular cast member until 1993 when she decided to pursue a full-time acting career.

I've done so many interviews cause I wanted everybody to know how I felt about it; how this was not something that was a win for me and that it wasn't something that was a gimmick or that I felt like, you know, 'oh I'm just gonna do it and see what happens'. No, this has always been a part of me since I was very young, and that they got to know me as an actress first was a coincidence because I was always gonna do both. It was just a matter of timing

“ ” —Lopez on why excessive promotion for On the 6 was important.

After a series of co-starring film roles, Lopez received her big break came in 1996, when she was cast to play the title role in Selena, a biopic of the late American singer-songwriter Selena. In the film, Selena's real voice is used for the musical sequences in Selena, but Lopez would nonetheless sing the lyrics during the scenes instead of lip syncing. When asked in an interview if Selena inspired her to launch a music career, Lopez stated: "I really, really became inspired, because I started my career in musical theater on stage. So doing the movie just reminded me of how much I missed singing, dancing, and the like..." After filming Selena, Lopez was "really feeling Latin roots" and cut a demo in Spanish. Lopez's manager then sent the song, entitled "Vivir Sin Ti", to Sony Music Entertainment's Work Group, who showed an interest in signing Lopez. Tommy Mottola, the head of the label suggested to her that she sing in English instead. She complied and began recording her debut studio album On the 6. During production of the album, Lopez was aware of the fact that she received her recording contract on the premise of her looks and having an already established name in the entertainment industry, and wanted to prove that she had musical talent. Prior to the debut of her music, critics wondered why she would take the risk of launching a music career. It was noted that: "If the album was a flop, not only would it embarrass Lopez, but it might even damage her career."

Lopez's debut single, "If You Had My Love", was released in May 1999. The song reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated June 12, 1999, dethroning Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca" as the number-one song in the country. The song stayed atop the Billboard Hot 100 for a period of a month and remained in the top ten until September 1999. "If You Had My Love" was also a success internationally; topping the charts in countries including New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The song also peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top ten of seven other countries. "No Me Ames", a duet with American recording artist Marc Anthony was released as a B-side to "If You Had My Love" and as the album's second single. The song was promoted by Sony Discos, who released a salsa and a ballad version of the song on their respective radio formats. The success of "If You Had My Love" and On the 6 came as a surprise to critics; their release made the "popular actor even more popular". Both the music industry and the public became intrigued by "this woman who seemed to have so many different talents". Following the release of "If You Had My Love" and "No Me Ames", three additional singles were released from the album. By the end of 1999, Lopez had successfully converted herself from a film star to a pop star.