While the new film, "The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps," won't open until July 28, Janet Jackson's sparkling new single, "Doesn't Really Matter," is already doing a great job promoting the movie.

The track, Jackson's first new solo material since her 1997 LP "The Velvet Rope," helped propel sales of the "Nutty Professor II" soundtrack into the Top 5 of the new "Billboard" album chart in just its first week in stores.

In the film, Jackson portrays Denice Gains, the romantic interest of Sherman Klump, the central figure and one of the many roles played by Eddie Murphy.

Jackson recently talked with MTV News' Chris Connelly about the origin of the song, which she said was written specifically for the film and which epitomizes her character's feelings for Sherman,

"Being a fan of the first soundtrack, I offered [to record a new song]. I wanted to be a part of this one, and they were very excited," Jackson told MTV News' Chris Connelly. "They said they wanted to ask me, but didn't know how to approach me. So it all worked out, and they seemed to be very pleased with the video and the song."

"What made this song and this track the right one for the movie?" Connelly asked.

"Because ['Doesn't Really Matter'] was written for it," she said, "really, I mean, I wrote the song for the film. Then I started working on my album, or I should say, continued after that." [RealVideo]

"Did you bring in [producers] Jimmy [Jam] and Terry [Lewis] and say, 'This is kind of what the feel is?'" Connelly queried.

"Well, Jimmy and I wrote the song together," Janet said. "So it's about [my character's] love for [Sherman], and her unconditional love for him. Whether they have everything in the world or they have nothing at all, she just wants to be with Sherman."

Jackson said she interrupted work on her next album in order to participate in the "Nutty Professor II" film, and she plans to head back into the studio to complete the record after the finishing her publicity duties for the flick.

"Doesn't Really Matter" is currently number 25 on the Contemporary Hit Radio/Pop radio charts, according to "R&R."

-- David Basham
Source: MTV News Online