Sandra Rose
Mary J. Blige graces the February 6, 2023 cover of PEOPLE magazine. The Grammy-winning R&B singer and actress promoted her Power Book II: Ghost series that returns to Starz next month.
Mary, 52, arrived on time for her photo shoot. She says PEOPLE, “I’ve been doing this for a minute. I am not a rookie.
Mary has come a long way since the release of her debut album, What is 411?in 1992.
She is grateful and appreciates all the love she has received during her third decade in the music industry.
“I can accept everything with humility and confidence because I’ve worked so hard all my life – really, really hard. But I couldn’t see the good things until I really took my wits and my life together.
Mary says pulling yourself together means making time to love yourself every morning.
She says to herself “Hello, beautiful”, which inspired a track on her album.
“Sometimes my eyes are all closed,” she says. “But I try to see myself. It’s not about vanity, it’s about how we are empowered. no one can love me like me. Nobody can.”
In the mid-1990s, yours truly was hired to film Mary’s appearance at a cavernous gay club in Atlanta called Traxx.
The club was huge. It had 2 floors, separate rooms and several DJs. But no one showed up for Mary that night.
By the time she arrived well after midnight, the club was empty. Mary was really upset that the gay community didn’t show up for her. She wouldn’t let me take pictures of her.
In 2007, I was hired to film a V-103 fan appreciation luncheon and meet and greet hosted by Mary. Mary’s attitude had improved greatly over the years. His fans were thrilled. Some were shaking and crying. Mary was very humble and polite with everyone.
She hugged her fans and signed autographs and she stayed all day to make sure every fan left with a smile on their face.
Check out some photos from the meeting below.