In the biggest concerts of the 80s and 90s, a mystery guitarist stood beside Michael Jackson and turned his pop hits into explosive rock moments. Most people never learned her name, but they all felt her impact. She made Beat It and Dirty Diana feel dangerous, loud, and impossible to forget.
Her name is Jennifer Batten.
She stood on the biggest stages in the world with that wild blonde hair, space age outfits, and a guitar that sounded like a jet taking off. Michael brought the smooth grooves, the tight vocals, and the flawless choreography. Jennifer answered with riffs that cut through the stadium air and made the songs feel dangerous in the best way.
Michael would stalk the stage, spin, and hit every move. Then he would give her the spotlight and the whole energy shifted. Wind machines hit her hair, she bent over the guitar, and the solo became a kind of musical duel between pop and rock.
What makes it even more powerful is that she did this in a world ruled by male guitar heroes. On many nights she was the only woman on that stage, yet Michael treated her like a co star, not background.
Michael Jackson and guitarist Jennifer Batten created pure magic
Wembley Stadium, 1988. Dirty Diana. Bad World Tour. The wild blonde hair under red and blue lights, the guitar crying over tens of thousands of fans, Michael on edge the whole time. He calls her down, they meet at the front of the stage, and by the time he hits the floor and she keeps shredding, pop and rock feel completely fused together.
Michael Jackson Dirty Diana Live Wembley 1988
Jennifer Batten has shared the full story in a rare, long-form interview that explains every detail from her own perspective. She talks about walking into that no-band audition, playing a quick funk groove, then closing with the Beat It solo that changed her life. She explains how her look was built from scratch to match Michael’s vision and how his nonstop work ethic pushed the entire band to perform at a higher level.