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MARY J. BLIGE
There's little, if any, denying that Mary J. Blige is one of the greatest singers of our time. The proof is in the consistent #1 albums and singles, six (6) Grammy awards, seven (7) multi-platinum records and 15-years of love from the public, critics and fellow artists. Since her 1992 debut - the modern classic What's the 411 all the way to 2005's stunning The Breakthrough Mary J. Blige has helped to redefine R&B, and more importantly, been an artist that uses her gift to lift spirits, touch lives and bring her heart, soul and truth to those who are willing to listen.
Mary's eighth studio CD, Growing Pains, comes on the heels of Mary's best-selling anthology Reflections (2006). It's also her first CD of new material since The Breakthrough debuted at #1, selling over an astonishing 700,000 copies its first week - setting a record at that time as the best opening week for a solo R&B female artist in SoundScan history. The album's first single, "Be Without You," also made chart history by holding down the #1 spot on the Billboard "Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums" chart for a record breaking sixteen (16) straight weeks; making it her biggest hit, so far, of a career filled with them. In addition "Be Without You" made its way into history books when it became the longest running #1 song on the R&B chart in over 40 years. As if that wasn't achievement enough The Breakthrough and "Be Without You" earned an astonishing eight (8) Grammy award nominations with Mary winning three (3).
Ask what fans can expect from Growing Pains and Mary J. Blige is characteristically upfront. "They're going to get a sense of what my state of mind is and how I view the world," she says. "And hopefully, most of all, they're going to hear just the sincere honesty and love that I have for them. I'm always putting myself out there like, look. I love ya'll. I got ya'll. I'm rocking with ya'll. So that's what they're going to get, that commitment. I hope they're going to be very happy with that."
You can hear Mary's own happiness and strength all throughout Growing Pains. Working in partnership with some of the best in the game e.g., Tricky and Dream, Neyo and Stargate, The Neptunes, Dre and Vidal, Jazze Pha, Sean Garrett, and featuring guest appearances by Ludacris, and Usher, Growing Pains is the sound of an artist in love, in touch, in control, and not afraid to show it. More than anything Growing Pains gives you straight up Mary letting the public share her world, and delivering a message that says, Love yourself. Believe in yourself and kick negativity to the curb.
Mary makes her message loud, clear and seriously funky on the hit single "Just Fine," produced by Jazze Pha and Tricky and written by Mary and Dream. The single makes for Mary's eighteenth (18th) top 10 single on Billboard's "Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs" chart tying her with Mariah Carey for the most Top 10 songs on the chart in the Neilson Music Era (from 1993). \ |
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