ks with an elite group of entertainers.
Next month, the Family Affair singer is set to receive the Icon Award at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, it was announced Thursday.
The 51-year-old entertainer is being recognized for her chart topping hits and for making an indelible mark on the music industry.
Icon status: Mary J. Blige will join ranks with an elite group of entertainers. The Good Morning Gorgeous singer is set to receive the Icon Award at the 20220 Billboard Music Awards in May
She is the 11th artist to receive the award and joins an elite group of musical greats including Cher, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, Mariah Cary and PINK.
The superstar posted a short video clip on Instagram writing, ‘It’s an honor to receive the @billboard Icon Award and perform on this year’s #BBMAs!’
In a longer statement the singer said, ‘My career has been such an incredible and unexpected journey that has included many turns into avenues I never could have imagined like acting, producing, launching businesses and now even my own music festival,’
Elite group: The Rent Money singer is the 11th artist to receive the award and joins an elite group of musical greats including Cher, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Celine Dion
Making her mark: The 51-year-old entertainer is being recognized for her chart topping hits and for making an indelible mark on the music industry
‘Through it all, I always one way or another gravitated back to my first love, music. To be recognized in this way at this moment, with the Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards, is an incredible honor and one that I am truly humbled by.’
During her illustrious career, Blige has amassed four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200: Share My World, Love & Life, The Breakthrough and Growing Pains, as well as reaching the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for her single Family Affair, which topped the chart for six weeks in 2001.
The U + Me artist has picked up numerous accolades and honors including the 1995 Billboard Music Award for R&B album of the year. She scooped up nine awards at the 2006 Billboard ceremony.
Humbled: Mary said Thursday, ‘it is an incredible honor and one that I am truly humbled by’
Double duty: Not only will the Take Me As I Am artist accept the Icon award, she’ll also perform at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards ceremonies in Las Vegas
The Be With You artist has nine Grammys on her mantle.
In 2017, she became the first person in Oscar history to be nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year, for her work in the drama, Mudbound.
The Take Me As I Am performer received a lifetime achievement award at the BET Awards in 2019 and received the icon of the year award at the Billboard Women in Music event in 2017.
The BBMAs will broadcast live coast-to-coast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 15 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and will stream live on Peacock. This year’s host has not been announced.
