Mary J. Blige shared intimate details about her life after divorce on Aug. 6 during a new interview with InStyle Magazine. Blige was formerly married to celebrity manager and record producer Kendu Isaacs from 2003 to 2016. Blige initially filed for divorce after she accused Issacs of misusing more then $400,000 of her money on his alleged mistress.
Despite ending their marriage after almost 13 years, the former couple didn’t officially get divorced until 2018 because of failure to reach a settlement. The singer was ordered to pay her ex $30,000 a month in spousal support. Throughout their marriage, she and Isaacs never had children.
The 50-year-old disclosed to the publication for their September issue that despite her tumultuous divorce she learned how to “love” herself while “fighting for happiness.”
“Every single day is a fight. I’m fighting for happiness now. I’m fighting for peace of mind now. But when I got out of that bad marriage, I started to really pick myself up and love myself. I don’t hate myself anymore. I’m stronger now.”
Blige also added that the day her divorce was officially finalized was the day everything in her life began to “brighten.”
“Divorce, that took a load off,” Blige said. “The day that I began to lighten up is the day my skin began to brighten. My eyes began to brighten. Now I keep beautiful people around me. I’m single, without a kid, and I’m having a good time. I’m doing the most.”
Although the “Be Without You” vocalist is indulging in the single life now, last year Blige shared to actress and friend Taraji P. Henson the struggles she faced being alone during the holidays. She said on “Peace of Mind With Taraji,” “It gets lonely and it gets sad, but I just gotta thug this out until something excellent comes along. I don’t know when that’s gonna happen. But, I’d rather be by myself than to keep making the same mistakes over and over again.”
Blige added, “I’m going to be patient and shift through this thing and love on me right now. I’m not gonna deprive myself of living. I’m not gonna deprive myself of romance, if it ever shows up.”
