Mary J. Blige is not lending her vocals to just any record, not even when approached directly by the artist. Singer P!nk learned this firsthand at the start of her career.
In a resurfaced 2017 interview with SiriusXM’s “The Morning Rush,” she recalled the one time she asked the Queen of R&B about doing a future collaboration.
“I went into her trailer long time ago, I think it was when I hosted the Lady of Soul Train, the Soul Train Awards. I walked into her trailer, and I was like, ‘Hi! Um, would you ever work with me?’ and she just took one look at me and she goes, ‘No.’ And I go, ‘OK!’” recalled the songstress.
She, along with Sisqó and Shemar Moore, hosted the 6th annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards in 2000.
P!nk also released her first album that same year, “Can’t Take Me Home.” Under the guidance of record executive L.A. Reid, her career launched with her then-signature pink hair and a sound catering to an urban audience with pop and R&B records.
The Billboard chart-topping artist said she was unbothered by the brutal honesty.
“That’s what I love about her. No, I respect it. I respect it. So many people will be like, ‘Yeah, call me!’” she noted. P!nk also talked about the incident in an old BBC interview.
Social media users shared a wide range of reactions the story.
“Maybe she just didn’t like her or rate her music! Hell Diana Ross won’t sing on stage with Lionel Ritchie, sometimes you just don’t take to people As I write this , the person next to me right now at work gets on my last nerve,” suggested one user.
Another commented, “Prob cuz that was back when Pink was tryna be black Mary said, ‘Umm you not authentic.’”
Following the success of her debut, P!nk shed the curated urban image and sound. Though she still has her powerful vocals on display, her songs are better classified as pop with a heavy rock influence.
A third person noted, “I mean Lionel still hasn’t gotten his song with Diana.” Lionel Richie recently took a playful jab at Diana Ross after she sang happy birthday to Beyoncé at the “Renaissance World Tour.”
Lionel Richie on Diana Ross turning down his offer to sing with him, choosing to sing Happy Birthday to Beyoncé instead.#RENAISSANCEWorldTour pic.twitter.com/vV68y9WC2g
— RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR (@RenaissanceWT) September 9, 2023
He claimed he has been asking Ross to perform “Endless Love” with him for 37 years, but she has consistently declined.
“Mary keeps it 100 and she doesn’t do a lot of collaborations she said that,” wrote someone else. Blige has been a vocal force in the industry since 1992. Some of her most popular collaborations include working with Ja Rule on “Rainy Dayz,” and “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need” with Method Man.
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