Jennifer Lopez reveals she altered her clothes as a child to copy Madonna’s style

Jennifer Lopez is reflecting on the pop icons who shaped her childhood, revealing that she was so inspired by Madonna that she once altered her own clothes in an effort to mirror the superstar’s signature style.

The 56-year-old singer and actress shared the memory during an appearance on Track Star, which aired Friday, June 5, where she was quizzed on several well-known tracks, including Madonna’s hit “Ray of Light.”

When the song played, Lopez immediately recognized it, enthusiastically identifying it as Madonna’s work and speaking about the influence the pop legend had on her early aspirations.

“This is Madonna!” Lopez said with a smile, before reflecting on how deeply the singer impacted her younger years. 

“When I was little, I wanted to be like her. That’s why I started coming to the village. I wanted to dress like her.”

Lopez went on to reveal that her admiration went beyond fashion inspiration, saying she would even “cut up” her clothing to replicate Madonna’s edgy, evolving style. 

She described it as part of a broader mindset she adopted early in life, one focused on reinvention and artistic evolution.

“I always said to myself, I never want to get stuck,” she said. “I always wanted to keep evolving. I always wanna keep doing new things.”

Alongside Madonna, Lopez was also tested on songs by artists including Janet Jackson, Salt-N-Pepa, and Selena Quintanilla, whom she famously portrayed in the 1997 biographical film Selena. 

The role marked a turning point in her career and remains one of her most acclaimed performances.

Lopez said playing Quintanilla had a lasting emotional impact on her, explaining that it fueled her determination to pursue both acting and singing at a higher level, despite early industry doubts about her ability to succeed in music.

“People are like, ‘You can’t go into singing,’ and I was like, ‘No,’” she said, reflecting on that period of her career. “You have to seize the moment. You have one life… it fueled a fire in me.”

The actress and singer is currently promoting her upcoming Netflix film Office Romance, in which she stars opposite Brett Goldstein. 

The film follows a high-powered CEO who becomes involved in a complicated workplace relationship with a newly hired employee.

At the film’s premiere, Lopez also spoke candidly about still feeling nervous during romantic scenes, saying that even after decades in the industry, on-screen intimacy can still feel “a bit nerve-racking,” particularly when working with new co-stars.

Despite her global success, Lopez said she continues to approach each role with a sense of freshness and vulnerability, both in her acting work and her evolving career as a performer.