Janet Jackson's 'low energy', 'painful' lip-synch performance slammed

Janet Jackson performs in Perth. Photo / Supplied

Janet Jackson has been slammed in scathing reviews for a Friday headlining gig, with attendees of her concert saying the pop star had major sound issues, "low energy" and may have been lip-synching.

The singer was lashed online, with attendees suggesting the former chart topper, who is the headlining act for national concert series RNB Fridays, was the "downer" of the Perth leg of the event.

Serious audio and visual issues plagued the '90s superstar's performance, and Jackson was reportedly lip-synching at a different time to the backing track, according to a scathing review on WA Today.

Jackson performing at RNB Fridays. Photo / Instagram

The reviewer said she had been "pumped" to see Jackson but said a lack of energy "transcended to the crowd".

According to the review, it was "clear there were audio problems, with her lip-synching painfully out of synch with the music and her performance lacking energy". Hundreds then streamed out of the Perth venue during her performance.

Other reviewers called a countdown before Jackson took the stage "confusing and awkward", saying the audio did not match the video projections and was a "strange" experience for fans.

Jackson invoked her late brother, yelling "Come on Michael" at one point, but according to WA Today, the reference to Michael, the pyrotechnics and confetti couldn't "take away from the poor lip-synching".

The Herald Sun's Cam Adams reviewed Jackson's performance in Melbourne on Saturday, defending the "living legend" saying she was clearly singing live.

"The fact she stopped and repeated the lyric to get a reaction at least silenced those who felt her show has zero live vocals – clearly Jackson sings over her own vocals as she's basically putting on a 45 minute aerobic dance work out that also doubles as a history of pop music stretching back to 1986," Adams wrote on Sunday.

"You go to a Janet Jackson show for a full performance, and the 53-year-old isn't phoning it in."

Opinion was divided on social media, with many calling Jackson a "queen" and praising her performance. Others who attended the Perth show agreed with the negative reviews, saying it was a "massive flop".

"Sorry Janet, that was a massive flop and sad ending to what was an amazing night," one woman wrote in a Facebook post while saying she felt it might not have been entirely Jackson's fault.

"We had a great time until Janet Jackson," another attendee wrote on Facebook. "The (sound) issues and her lip-synching was a real downer.

"We left after her second song. The highlight was definitely (Black Eyed Peas). Such a shame. Maybe this event needs a better venue."

Jackson was performing as the headline act in Perth as part of the touring concert RNB Fridays Live.

The Perth show was the first leg for the series of concerts, which features artists including 50 Cent, Black Eyed Peas, Brandy, Sisqo, Jason Derulo and Fatman Scoop.