LISTEN: Jennifer Lopez’s 2014 voguing bop that was too gay for mainstream radio

Madonna‘s 1990 blockbuster hit “Vogue” and the groundbreaking 1991 documentary Paris Is Burning first exposed the masses to NYC’s vibrant underground ballroom culture created by LGBTQ+ people of color in the ’70s and ’80s.

Since then, the scene and its moves, terminology, music and larger-than-life personalities have continued to influence pop culture through TV shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, Pose, and Legendary and has inspired tracks like Teyana Taylor’s “WTP,” Frank Ocean‘s interlude “Ambience 001: A Certain Way” and even Sam Smith and Calvin Harris’ 2018 collab “Promises.”

Recently, ballroom was thrusted further into the spotlight as it heavily-influenced Beyonce‘s euphoric 2022 Renaissance album, while Ariana Grande featured voguing in her new video for “Yes, And?”

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But ten years ago–and four before Vanessa Hudgens caused billions of eye rolls by infamously disclosing “I’m so into voguing right now“–Jennifer Lopez enlisted a ballroom icon for her dancehall banger “Tens,” a massive bop that was probably too ahead of its time for the mainstream as it wasn’t even released as a single.

Related:

10 amazing Jennifer Lopez videos many basic gays don’t even know exist

Outside of the Latinx community, many don’t know Lopez’s non-English tracks have topped the Latin charts and received millions (and millions) of views on YouTube.

J.Lo’s eighth studio album A.K.A. was released on June 13, 2014 and featured three moderate hits with accompanying music videos: “I Luh Ya Papi”, “First Love” and “Booty” with Iggy Azalea.

The deluxe edition included four bonus tracks, with “Tens” featuring the “voice of the Ballroom scene” Jack Mizrahi on what should have been an instant gay club classic.

Prior to the album’s release, Lopez made fans think “Tens” would not only be a single but that a music video was on its way by sharing a teaser clip of a vogue battle featuring hand performances and killer spins and dips.

Shablam!

Sadly, no official music video was ever released.

While ballroom has been co-opted for decades, Lopez, who grew up in the Bronx and may have danced alongside people in the scene back in the day, at least did her homework on “Tens” and brought on Mizrahi to give the jam some true authenticity.

Mizrahi has been a pivotal force in ballroom for more than 30 years and after working with Lopez went on to be a consultant on Pose and an executive producer on Legendary.

In addition to lyrics commanding us to “clap bitches, clap,” the track references the five “elements” of voguing, categories like “vogue femme” and “old way,” and the opening portion of balls when contestants are introduced to the crowd known as “legends, statements and stars.”

Category is: This would be on everyone’s playlist if released today!

Fun fact: “Tens” also seemingly name drops Britney Spears’ 2013 bop as Lopez declares, “We don’t work bitch. We serve bitch.” Yes, ma’am!

And further showcasing the song’s influence it appears Queen Bey may have even been at least slightly inspired by “Tens” as the Queens Remix of “Break My Soul” similarly highlights many of the same Houses in ballroom.

In Lopez’s homage, she shouts: “Serve for me/ Lanvin, Ebony, Icon/Infinity, Cannes/Chanel, Balenciaga/Prodigy, Ninja, Labeija/Milan, Omni, Mizrahi/Extravaganza, Garçon/Mugler.”

While Beyonce lists: “House of Revlon, House of LaBeija, House of Amazon/The House of Aviance, the House of Balmain, The House of Ninja, /The House of Lanvin, House of Telfar/House of Ladosha, House of Mugler /The House of Balenciaga, the House of Mizrahi.”

Although it wasn’t released as a single, J.Lo included “Tens” in her 2016 Las Vegas residency “All I Have” and sang a snippet during her performance for NBC’s New Year’s Eve special in 2017.

She begins her medley of hits singing “Tens” by giving Studio 54 vibes hanging from a mirrored crescent moon, before moving on to “Waiting For Tonight” and “On the Floor” adorned by a bevy of shirtless dancers.

Tens across the board, indeed:

While Lopez has never disclosed why “Tens” was never released as single, it’s no secret gay dance and house music have become a staple in mainstream radio in the decade since. Hello, even Katy Perry dipped her toes in ballroom for her 2017 hit “Swish Swish.”

As the world awaits for the release of Lopez’s new album and accompanying bonkers movie musical/rom-com/dystopian sci-fi romp This Is Me … Now to be released on February 16th, we’re gonna keep streaming “Tens” all day every day!

Clap bitches, clap!

Related:

Legendary Jack Mizrahi is spreading the gospel of ballroom across the globe

Jack Mizrahi talks with Queerty about why the art of ballroom will never lose its authenticity or stop honoring the resilient community who birthed it.