The reigning Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige, struck a fierce pose for the February 2022 cover of Elle magazine. The songstress, who rang in her 51st birthday earlier this month, rocked her signature platinum blond hair, gold hoop earrings, and a brown faux-fur coat.
While we’ve seen the beloved singer experience so much success, fans who have followed her career from the beginning knows the demons she has faced. During her interview with Elle, she opened up about building her self-confidence at times when she felt low.
“During ‘Mudbound’ and when I was married, I was feeling so low,” she said. “I had to pay myself the highest compliments, even if I didn’t believe it, just so I could build myself up.”
“I would do it in the morning, because that’s the time when your hair is not done and you don’t have on makeup. You’re just kind of dealing with yourself for real.”
In Elle’s video series titled “Fix My Life,” Mary J. Blige gave advice and answered questions about maintaining your confidence, fashion, friendship, and so much more.
For social media users who “don’t feel beautiful without a filter” or comfortable sharing a “pic without editing,” Blige suggested, “Get to know who you are from the inside out.”
“Because the beauty has nothing to do with your makeup and retouching. It has something to do with how you feel about you,” she continued.
To recharge herself, the “My Life” singer said, “I pray. I spiritually ground myself and say positive things about myself and my life to build myself back up.”
The “Power” actress known for wearing thigh-high boots also gave fashion tips about formulating your fashion style. She said it was “trial and error” before discovering her own.
“We all try things that don’t work, but what we find out is that we are the best stylist for ourselves,” Blige explained. “No one can dress us better than ourselves. No one can speak for us better than ourselves. Just believe what you have is great, and it’ll be great.”
In response to her final question about building like-minded friendships, she said, “If you feel like you’re outgrowing your old friends and you love them, give them space and see if they’re real. See if it’s time to move on.
She added, “When you give people space, you find out who they are; you find out what’s real.”
Between music and acting, Mary J. Blige has earned nine Grammys and two Academy Award nominations for her role in 2017’s “Mudbound.” Her next endeavor will come from her new album, “Good Morning Gorgeous,” which will be released Friday, Feb. 11. That same weekend, she will perform at the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, which airs on Sunday, Feb. 13 on NBC.
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