The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul says it will arrive by the summer.
It’s official: Mary J. Blige has a new project in the works.
Blige confirmed the news in an Audacy Check In with Big Tigger of Atlanta’s V-103. During their 20-minute conversation, Big Tigger asked Blige about her plans to release new music.
“I’m working on a project,” Blige disclosed. “Something nice for my fans.”
Blige didn’t divulge too many details about the untitled project, slated to arrive this summer via her Beautiful Life Music imprint. However, she did hint that its sound is more hip-hop soul and not so much experimental like 2014’s The London Sessions.
“That’s what I do,” she said. “I tried The London Sessions, which was not a bad thing because I love music, period. But this is what I do.”
Blige also mentioned that “Gone Forever,” featuring Remy Ma and DJ Khaled, will be on the project. The song originally appeared on her Grammy-nominated album, Good Morning Gorgeous (2022).
For her 53rd birthday (Jan. 11), Blige premiered the official video. “Everything has its time,” Blige told Big Tigger. “It’s time.”
It’s not yet clear if Blige’s current single “Still Believe in Love,” which is No. 1 for a fifth week on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart, will be on the project. She had previously noted that the Vado-assisted song is a standalone track.
In her conversation with Tigger, Blige explained why she released it and the story behind it.
“I wrote [‘Still Believe in Love’] when I was fresh out of my divorce because I needed to say something different and something positive, other than what was going on in my life. I had to believe in myself,” Blige explained. “The timing, the climate for the song was just perfect for right now. People need some positivity,” she added.
Blige’s upcoming project will follow Good Morning Gorgeous. The album scored Blige her first Album of the Year Grammy nomination as a lead artist. The album’s title track, a No. 1 radio hit produced by D’Mile and H.E.R., notched the following nominations: Best R&B Song, Best Traditional R&B Performance and Record of the Year.
The follow-up single, “Here With Me” featuring Anderson .Paak, was nominated for Best R&B Performance.
Mary J. Blige (Photo Credit: Will Sterling)
In other news, Blige was recently celebrated at the Urban One Honors with the Entertainment Icon Honor. The star-studded ceremony, which was taped in Atlanta over the weekend, will air Sunday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m. ET on TV.
“Urban One is thrilled to honor the incomparable Mary J. Blige as our 2024 Entertainment Icon,” said Michelle L. Rice, president of TV One and CLEO TV. “Mary’s immeasurable talent and award-winning music has shaped our culture and has had a profound impact on artists and music across all genres, but most notably the elevation of female artists in both R&B and Hip Hop across generations. She fully personifies the ‘Best in Black’ theme of this year’s Urban One Honors.”
“Thank you Urban 1 and TV 1 for the Icon Award,” Blige wrote in an Instagram caption for a photo of her wearing a black ruffled gown by Gaurav Gupta.
Watch Mary J. Blige’s full interview with Big Tigger, where she also talks about her relationship status, her acting career, her long-awaited boot line and more.
