Mary J. Blige

From the modern classic of 1992’s What’s the 411? to the reinvented house diva on 2014’s The London Sessions, Mary J. has constantly redefined RnB. For Sydney audiences, Blige tops the unparalleled list of RnB royalty– Erykah Badu, Ms. Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo – to grace the Concert Hall stage.

Blige rises above the label of “throwback” that hangs over most of her peers, and she doesn’t slow. The accolades speak for themselves – over fifty million singles sold, nine Grammy Awards with an extra 23 nominations, a Golden Globe nomination, world tours almost every year since 1997, and a headline performance at Obama’s inauguration celebration.

In 2016 alone she debuted her talk show with a Hillary Clinton interview, announced a world tour with reclusive RnB king Maxwell, and reminded people that she stands tall next to East Coast rap royalty like Notorious B.I.G on Diddy’s Bad Boy Reunion tour. 2016’s Strength of a Woman, her thirteenth studio album, brings Blige full-circle to the soul-touched RnB sound she defined. Her music still carries through her message of pain, purification and catharsis laced with a rapper’s attitude.