Before worldwide superstardom Michael Jackson reportedly experienced a quiet young romance with singer Stephanie Mills. She was already starring as Dorothy in the successful Broadway production of The Wiz when Michael became fascinated by both her performance and the woman behind it.
In February 1977 18-year-old Michael stayed an extra day in New York so he could watch Stephanie perform. When journalist Lisa Robinson asked about the show Michael revealed that he had already seen it three times. Behind his shy smile it appeared that Broadway’s Dorothy had captured his attention.
Stephanie Mills Talks New Tour, Dating Michael Jackson and Her Music Career
In the first interview, Mills recalls Michael as gentle, affectionate and surprisingly ordinary away from the stage. Her memories reveal a young man who could repeatedly visit the theatre, spend private time with someone he trusted and briefly escape the demands surrounding the Jackson family. To her, this was never simply another celebrity rumour.
Mills has said she was ready to marry at around 20 or 21, while Michael was nowhere near making that commitment. At the same time, he was fighting to outgrow his child-star image and gain greater control over his music. Their romance faded, but her warmth toward him remained visible decades later.
I Thought I Was Going to Be Mrs Michael Jackson: Stephanie Mills Tells Her Side
The newly published second video expands those personal memories into the larger story of their young romance. Seen together, the accounts suggest that timing shaped everything. Mills was thinking about marriage, while Michael was preparing for the creative leap that would transform his career through Off the Wall and eventually make him a global phenomenon.
Michael Jackson went on to reshape popular music with Off the Wall, Thriller and his revolutionary performances. Stephanie Mills built her own celebrated career as Broadway’s original Dorothy and a Grammy-winning R&B singer. Their young romance did not lead to marriage, but it revealed a gentler Michael rarely seen by the public. Watch both videos, then tell us whether you believe they could have lasted.