Janis Ian (second interview)

About Janis Ian (second interview)

Janis Ian is an American singer-songwriter who achieved early fame with the controversial 1967 hit "Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)." Her 1975 album Between the Lines reached number one on the Billboard 200, featuring the Grammy-winning single "At Seventeen." She appeared as the second musical guest on Saturday Night Live's series premiere in 1975. Ian has received ten Grammy nominations, winning two including Best Spoken Word Album for her 2008 autobiography Society's Child.

In this interview

• Performs songs including references to streets, darkness, and scenes
• Discusses settling back to life and party themes
• Shares musical performance captured in the interview recording

Since this interview

In May 2022, Ian contracted a virus that caused irreparable damage to her vocal cords, ending her performing career. A documentary titled Janis Ian: Breaking Silence premiered at the DOC NYC film festival in November 2024. A revised edition of her memoir Society's Child was released in 2025.