Jennifer Lopez lays down rules for future love: ‘You would have to earn it’
Despite setting clear boundaries for any future romance, Lopez is reportedly not ready to date again
Los Angeles: Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez has made it clear that respect, acceptance and emotional maturity are non-negotiable when it comes to any future relationship, following her divorce from actor-filmmaker Ben Affleck in 2025.
While performing her 1999 hit If You Had My Love during her Up All Night show in Las Vegas, Lopez reflected on love, heartbreak and how her perspective has evolved over the years. Addressing the audience at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, she revisited the song’s meaning in her life and what she now expects from a partner.
“When I first sang it, I was very young. And I sang it with a lot of hope,” she said in a clip later shared on social media.
The singer explained that the song has accompanied her through different emotional phases. “But I’ve also sang it over the years, I’ve sang it while I was sad. And I’ve sang it when I was happy. But now, today, you know how I sing it? I sing it in power,” she added.
Lopez then firmly outlined her expectations. “Because the truth is, if you wanted to have my love, you would have to earn it. You would have to treat me right. You would have to respect me. You’d have to accept me for all that I am. You’d have to love me if you wanted my love.”
She also acknowledged the emotional risks that come with relationships, declaring, “You can’t have love without heartbreak. You can’t. That’s what you sign up for,” reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Despite setting clear boundaries for any future romance, Lopez is reportedly not ready to date again. A source told people.com in December, “It's all about work and the kids for her. She seems happy and content.”
The singer shares 17-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony. Lopez and Affleck were first engaged in 2002 before splitting in 2004, later rekindling their romance in 2021 and marrying in July 2022. Jennifer filed for divorce two years later, listing April 26, 2024, as their date of separation.
Lopez has previously been married to Ojani Noa, Cris Judd and Marc Anthony, and was also engaged to Alex Rodriguez before their split in 2021.
