It's no secret that this writer has an inexplicable appreciation for Jennifer Lopez.

But after a few, well, not-so-hot moments in her mostly hit-filled music career, including 2007’s poorly-recieved “Brave” and and her departure from longtime label Epic, Jenny from the Block has spent the first few weeks of 2011 back in the spotlight.

Her debut as a new judge on “American Idol” is only a few days away, and her new L'Oreal commercial premiered during Sunday's Golden Globes telecast.

So it should come as no surprise that this weekend also saw the leak of her new single, “On the Floor,” featuring Pitbull.

The RedOne-produced track isn’t quite as inventive as the pop gems he crafts with muse Lady Gaga -– of course, he’s likely saving his most epic cuts for her --  but the thumping track is vintage J.Lo.

"On the Floor" is a sweat-inducing, sticky dance floor track with heavy synths and that ubiquitous European edge that makes the single ripe for club DJs and house remixers. (Heck, she basically pleads for the track to burn up dance floors in "Brazil, Morocco, London to Ibiza/Straight to L.A. New York/Vegas to Africa.") [Updated at 5:45 p.m.: Adding to the global feel that RedOne is known for, the song seems to borrow a few elements of Kaoma's 1989 hit "Lambada."] 

Listeners haven’t heard this dance-electro-pop side of Lopez since 1999’s “Waiting for Tonight”;  much of her back catalog flirts with more gritty urban-pop sounds.

So Jenny from the block is joining "American Idol” after all?

After the singer-actress’ initial deal with Fox’s singing juggernaut was said to have crashed and burned -- the word in the blogosphere is that her demands reached (gasp) diva proportions -- Jennifer Lopez has reportedly finalized a $12-million deal to sit at the judge’s table, which is only a quarter of the way occupied (Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler is supposedly joining and the panel will revert to three judges) for the show’s upcoming 10th season.

Now, we know what you’re thinking.

The mere thought of the singer-actress-fashionista joining the ranks has brought more than a few sighs of “Why?” among some "Idol" fans. But Lopez can actually be an asset to the show, which suffered a great deal last season.

It’s essential to offer full disclosure here. This particular Pop & Hiss writer is an unabashed hard-core fan of Lopez (I even find ways to defend “Gigli” and “Brave,” her biggest commercial failures in film and music, respectively). But make no mistake, I’m not blinded by the skepticism that has plagued much, if not all, of her career -- especially when it comes to her music endeavors.

Despite the show’s attempt to start showcasing more singer-songwriters in past seasons -- even allowing them to play live instruments onstage -- the house that Kelly Clarkson built will always be about finding the next big mainstream star to cash in on -- sorry, Crystal Bowersox -- and sadly, part of that comes with branding and packaging your pop star for the big leagues.