mary j blige my life tour

Mary J. Blige

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The 1994 R&B classic is getting reissued on three formats on November 20.

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With her 1994 breakthrough sophomore album My Life , Mary J. Blige secured herself the title of Queen of Hip-Hop Soul when she delivered the R&B classic. The album, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2019, is getting a deluxe reissue on November 20 via Geffen/UMe.

My Life will be available in three formats: a 2 CD, a standard weight black double vinyl, and a triple vinyl edition in translucent blue with a lenticular cover, including bonus tracks featuring LL Cool J, and Smif ‘N Wessun. The 3LP edition will also be available digitally, which will feature commentary by Blige on the original album tracks.

In 1992, the Yonkers-raised singer, recorded her 3x platinum debut, What’s the 411? , with Sean “Puffy” Combs behind the board, marking the beginning of the Blige/Puffy golden era.

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The bar was set with her debut and Mary was up to the challenge when she released the most introspective, personal, and culturally impactful album of her career, My Life .

With Bad Boy’s hitmaker Chucky Thompson and Price Charles Alexander at the boards, My Life blended street-savvy R&B with quiet storm ballads. Blige flexed her encyclopedic knowledge of soul by sampling Roy Ayers (“My Life”), Curtis Mayfield (“I’m The Only Woman”), Isaac Hayes (“I Love You”) and Barry White (“You Bring Me Joy”).

Even 25 years later, Blige’s bristling delivery on My Life still sounds raw. She completely owns Rose Royce’s 1976 soul classic “I’m Going Down,” and her promise of happiness amid the drama still rings true on the exuberant “You Bring Me Joy.”

With Blige taking the songwriting reins, My Life remains her most revelatory and creatively vital work to date.

Earning an award for Top R&B Album at the 1995 Billboard Music Awards , as well as a Grammy nomination for Best R&B album in 1996, My Life stands alone as an unflinching document of Blige as she struggled to see light in the darkness.

With My Life , Blige established herself an unrivaled voice in R&B. She would go on release 11 more studio albums, start her own film production company and earn an Oscar nomination. Last December, Amazon Studios announced that an as-yet-untitled Blige documentary is in production, helmed by Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Over the course of her career, Blige became a symbol of female empowerment and perseverance, but on My Life , she lay her soul bare to brilliant ends. For those who want to relive Blige’s embattled masterpiece, now’s the chance to rediscover My Life in two vinyl formats, sourced from the original masters.

My Life 25th Anniversary Edition is out on November 20 and can be pre-ordered here .

My Life Track Listing (2xLP)

Side A 1. Intro 2. Mary Jane (All Night Long) 3. You Bring Me Joy 4. Marvin Interlude 5. I’m The Only Woman

Side B 1. K. Murray Interlude 2. My Life 3. You Gotta Believe 4. I Never Wanna Live Without You

Side C 1. I’m Goin’ Down 2. My Life Interlude 3. Be With You 4. Mary’s Joint

Side D 1. Don’t Go 2. I Love You 3. No One Else 4. Be Happy

My Life Track Listing (2CD / 3xLP CE)

Side E (Bonus Tracks) 1. Mary Jane (All Night Long) [Remix] Feat. LL Cool J 2. I’m Goin’ Down (Remix) Feat. Mr. Cheeks 3. I Love You (Remix) Feat. Smif N’ Wessun

Side F (Bonus Tracks) 1. Be Happy (Bad Boy Butter Remix) 2. Be Happy (Ron G Remix) 3. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

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Album of the week: ‘My Life’ by Mary J. Blige

Since its release in 1994, Mary J. Blige’s “My Life” has remained a staple within the R&B genre. Its melodic rhythms and powerful yet smooth lyrics deliver an incredible listening experience to any music fan. A more relaxed sound compared to her debut effort, “My Life” speaks on the troubles of heartbreak while dealing with the importance of self-love and care. Mary’s empowering lyrics are all but one aspect of the incredible album, as the production and smoothed-out samples provide a simple ride through an otherwise complex project. 

Right out of the gate, listeners are hit with the iconic bassline making up the song “Mary Jane (All Night Long).” The song’s reliance on extended samples set the tone for the entire project, as other tracks such as “You Bring Me Joy, I Love You and Be Happy” all contain famous sampled loops. Despite heavily utilizing 1970s soul breaks, the album’s production remains unique in transforming simple loops into melodic rhythms. The beats behind each track differentiate heavily from other R&B contemporaries, offering a gritty ‘90s sound as opposed to one that is soft and subtle.

Accompanying the melodic R&B hip-hop beats are Blige’s vocals. A pioneer of the R&B genre, Blige’s vocal range and soulful taste are brilliantly showcased throughout the entire album. Her ability to hold notes and sing with incredible power is displayed in several songs such as “My Life and I Never Wanna Live Without You.” 

Though her singing is impressive, it is the lyrical content of “My Life” that makes the album such a special one. Speaking from personal experiences, Blige expresses the pain of heartbreak while encouraging ideas of self-love and personal growth. While songs such as “Don’t Go” and “I’m Goin’ Down” deal with the ending of a relationship, other tracks such as “You Gotta Believe and Be Happy” focus on self-healing and the power of self-love. Her lyrics continue to speak volumes throughout the project, offering powerful lines such as, “How can I love somebody else if I can’t love myself enough to know when it’s time to let go.” Each song off the sophomore album has something every listener can relate to, making it truly transcendent. 

Whether it is the smooth yet hard-hitting beats, the soulful voice or the empowering lyrical content, “My Life” has something that nearly every music fan can relate to and enjoy. Its ability to stand the test of time makes it one of the greatest R&B albums of all time, and one that should be in everyone’s musical rotation.

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Mary J. Blige

24 SONGS • 1 HOUR AND 10 MINUTES • JUL 28 1998

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When Mary J. Blige's debut album, What's the 411?, hit the streets in July 1992, critics and fans were floored by its powerful combination of modern soul and edgy hip-hop production that glanced off of the pain and grit of the singer's New York upbringing. Blige instantly became a distinct force in R&B, and throughout a three-decade career has put the full power of her voice behind her music, exorcizing her demons and consequently softening her style, yet never ceding her rank as "the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul." Each one of the singer's proper studio albums has debuted within the Top Ten of the Billboard 200, highlighted by a streak of five multi-platinum titles lasting through No More Drama (2001), and Best R&B Album Grammy awards for The Breakthrough (2005) and Growing Pains (2007). As she continued to add to her rich catalog in the 2010s, a new generation of artists cited her as an influence and sought her out for collaborations. These included Kendrick Lamar's "Now or Never" and Disclosure's "F for You," just to name the Grammy-nominated recordings. Blige's co-headlining performance at the Super Bowl LVI half-time show coincided with the release of her first album of the 2020s, Good Morning Gorgeous (2022).

Born in the Bronx, Blige spent the first few years of her life in Savannah, Georgia before moving with her mother and older sister to the Schlobam housing projects in Yonkers, New York. Her rough life there produced more than a few scars, physical and otherwise, and Blige dropped out of high school during her junior year, instead spending time doing her friends' hair in her mother's apartment and hanging out. When she was at a local mall in White Plains, New York, she recorded herself singing Anita Baker's "Caught Up in the Rapture" into a karaoke machine. The resulting tape was passed by Blige's stepfather to Uptown Records CEO Andre Harrell. Harrell was impressed with Blige's voice and signed her to sing backup for local acts like Father MC. In 1991, however, Sean "Puffy" Combs took Blige under his wing and began working with her on What's the 411?, her debut album. Combs had a heavy hand in What's the 411?, as did producers Dave Hall, Mark Morales, and Mark Rooney, and the stylish touches that they added to Blige's unique vocal style created a stunning album that bridged the gap between R&B and hip-hop in a way that no singer had before. Uptown capitalized on the success by issuing What's the 411? Remix a year later.

Her 1995 follow-up, My Life, again featured Combs' handiwork, and if it stepped back stylistically from its urban roots by featuring less of a rap sound, it made up for it with its subject matter. My Life was full of street pathos, and Blige's personal pain shone through like a beacon. Her rocky relationship with fellow Uptown artist K-Ci Hailey likely contributed to the raw emotions on the album. The period following the recording of My Life was also a difficult time professionally for Blige, as she severed her ties with Combs and Uptown, hired Suge Knight as a financial advisor, and signed with MCA. However, she soon won her first (of several) Grammy awards: Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By," a duet with Method Man.

Released in 1997, Share My World marked the beginning of Blige's creative partnership with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The album was another hit for Blige and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. By the time her next studio album, Mary, came out in 1999, the fullness and elegance of her relatively conventional sound seemed more developed, as Blige exuded a classic soul style aided by material from Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Stevie Wonder, and Lauryn Hill. Mary made it obvious that the street-grounded style and more confrontational aspects of her music were gone, while the emotive power still remained.

That power also helped carry the more modern-sounding 2001 release No More Drama, a deeply personal album that remained a collective effort musically yet reflected more of Blige's songwriting than any of her previous efforts. The Mary J. Blige on No More Drama seemed miles away from the flashy kid on What's the 411?, yet it was still possible to see the path through her music that produced an older, wiser, but still expressive artist. In 2003 she was reunited with P. Diddy, who produced the majority of that year's patchy Love and Life album. The Breakthrough followed two years later and was a tremendous success, spawning a handful of major singles. By the December 2006 release of Reflections (A Retrospective), The Breakthrough's lead single, "Be Without You," had spent nearly a year on the R&B chart, while the album's fifth single, "Take Me as I Am," had been on the same chart for over four months.

A year later, Blige came out with her eighth studio album, Growing Pains. It was her third consecutive studio album to top both the Billboard 200 and the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. While on tour with Robin Thicke during 2008, Blige began working on Stronger with Each Tear, which was released near the end of the following year and came one spot short of topping the Billboard 200. My Life II...The Journey Continues (Act 1) followed in 2011 with appearances from Beyoncé, Drake, Rick Ross, and Busta Rhymes. Like her previous nine studio albums, it reached gold status. (Her first eight surpassed gold to reach either platinum or multi-platinum status.) Blige's next major move was a featured appearance on Kendrick Lamar's "Now or Never," off the deluxe edition of the Grammy-nominated Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. A Mary Christmas, her first holiday album, stuffed stockings in 2013.

Early in 2014, Blige linked with Disclosure for an alternate version of the U.K. dance-production duo's single "F for You." A few months later, Blige -- supported by extensive assistance from the-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, as well as a few other associates -- provided the soundtrack to the comedy Think Like a Man Too. It entered the Billboard Top 200 at number 30 and also reached the Top Ten on Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Released on Epic, rather than on her home label, it didn't receive the typical level of promotion for a Blige album.

Inspired by Disclosure and other genre-blurring singer/songwriters and producers who were emerging from the U.K., she recorded her 13th album in London that summer with the likes of Sam Smith, Naughty Boy, and Emeli Sandé, as well as Disclosure once more. The London Sessions, her first album for Capitol, was released that November and placed two singles in the Top Ten of Billboard's Adult R&B chart. In late 2016 and early 2017, Blige released the first singles from her next proper studio album, including the Kanye West collaboration "Love Yourself." The parent full-length Strength of a Woman arrived in April 2017, and featured further guest spots from DJ Khaled, Missy Elliott, and Kaytranada. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. Accolades soon piled up for her role in the period drama film Mudbound. Most prominently, she was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song (for "Mighty River").

Signed to Republic, Blige issued a handful of 2018-2019 singles, all of which hit the Adult R&B chart. Among them was the Nas collaboration "Thriving," a track that appeared ahead of the two artists' co-headlining summer 2019 tour. During the next couple years, Blige's acting roles included voice work for Trolls World Tour and her portrayal of Dinah Washington in Respect. The 25th anniversary of Blige's second album was commemorated with the documentary Mary J. Blige's My Life. A new label partnership with 300 Entertainment started in 2021 with the singles "Amazing" and "Good Morning Gorgeous," and early the next year continued with "Rent Money." All three songs were included on Good Morning Gorgeous, released during Super Bowl weekend that February. Blige co-headlined the game's half-time show. (She had made a guest appearance during the Super Bowl XXXV half-time show 21 years earlier.) In addition to DJ Khaled and Dave East, who were featured on separate pre-album singles, Good Morning Gorgeous included collaborations with Usher and Anderson .Paak. The album reached number 14 on the Billboard 200 and earned five Grammy Award nominations including Album of the Year. Blige returned to work in late 2023 with "Still Believe in Love" featuring Vado. ~ Stacia Proefrock & Andy Kellman

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Mary J. Blige Reveals She Will Not Be Performing At 2024 Lovers & Friends: ‘My Inclusion Was An Error’

As previously reported by HOT 97 , yesterday (Jan. 24), the official lineup for the 2024 Lovers & Friends festival was announced. Unfortunately, Mary J. Blige, who was on that line, will not be performing.

The “Gone Forever” singer took to her  Instagram Stories today (Jan. 25) to shut down any hopes of seeing her performing at the event in Las Vegas. “I am beyond humbled by the response from all of you about the announcement of me on Lovers & Friends festival. Unfortunately, my inclusion was an error, as I will be busy in preparation for my Strength of A Woman Summit just one week later! I have the greatest fans in the world and can’t wait to see you in New York in a few short months!” she wrote.

Lovers & Friends is set to take place at Las Vegas Festivals Grounds on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovers & Friends Las Vegas (@loversandfriendsfest)

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Andrea Bocelli announces Christmas 2024 tour dates. Get tickets now

Christmas in July is played out.

Rather than delay the inevitable, legendary singer Andrea Bocelli just announced the dates for his annual Christmas tour from Dec. 8-23.

This time around, the iconic tenor will perform back-to-back nights at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Dec. 18 and Thursday, Dec. 19.

At all shows, fans can expect to hear holiday staples as well as cuts from the 65-year-old’s No. 1 album “A Family Christmas,” his solo album “Believe” and a “selection of arias, his beloved crossover hits, and famed love songs” according to UDiscoverMusic .

Ahead of the holiday run, Bocelli is headlining a handful of concerts this April as well as a huge show at London’s Hyde Park in July.

And if you want to see him live, tickets can be grabbed for all North American Bocelli concerts — and the Hyde Park gig — as soon as today.

Although inventory isn’t available on Ticketmaster until Tuesday, April 16, fans who want to ensure they have tickets ahead of time can purchase on sites like Vivid Seats before tickets are officially on sale.

Vivid Seats is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

They have a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and will be delivered before the event.

A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below.

Although we can’t guarantee what Bocelli will play live, we wanted to highlight his rousing 2022 Madison Square Garden Christmas show where he played 21 songs including ballads, beloved holiday covers and tracks from his 2022 albums “A Family Christmas” and “My Christmas” (where he duets with Mary J. Blige, Reba McEntire  and  The Muppets).

Here’s what made the cut on Dec. 14, 2022 courtesy of  Set List FM :

01.) “La donna è mobile” (Giuseppe Verdi cover)

02.) “Di quella pira” (Giuseppe Verdi cover)

03.) “Come un bel di di maggio” (Umberto Giordano cover)

04.) “Vicino a te”

05.) “O soave fanciulla” (Giacomo Puccini cover)

06.) “Brindisi” (Giuseppe Verdi cover)

07.) “White Christmas” (Irving Berlin cover)

08.) “Hallelujah” (Leonard Cohen cover)

09.) “Over the Rainbow” (Harold Arlen cover)

10.) “The Greatest Gift”

11.) “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (Hugh Martin cover)

12.) “Do You Hear What I Hear”

13.) “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” (John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band cover)

14.) “Joy to the World”

15.) “Adeste fideles” (John Francis Wade cover)

16.) “Fall on Me”

17.) “Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)”

18.) “Nessun dorma” (Giacomo Puccini cover)

19.) “Perfect Symphony”

20.) “Theme From New York, New York” (John Kander cover)

21.) “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (Elvis Presley cover)

On Oct. 21, 2022, Bocelli released  “A Family Christmas”  with his children Matteo and Virginia.

Comprised of 22 songs — and featuring The Simpsons — the Bocellis show off their impressive vocal range, adding life to classic standards you know and love like ‘Do You Hear What I Hear” and “Silver Bells” as well as more modern holiday staples like “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and “Feliz Navidad.”

Want to hear the record for yourself?

You can check out “A Family Christmas”  here .

A shocking number of iconic artists just may be coming to a venue near you this year.

Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.

•  Il Divo

•  Norah Jones

•  Englebert Humperdinck

•  Pentatonix

•  Mariah Carey

Who else is on the road? Check out our list of the 50 biggest concert tours in 2024 here to find out.

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