Believing in yourself can be difficult, even when you’re a GRAMMY-winning, EMMY-winning, Oscar-nominated artist like Mary J. Blige. Fans can listen to her hits like “Real Love” and “Family Affair” on repeat. But on the March 6 episode of TODAY With Hoda and Jenna, the singer, actress and entrepreneur admitted that there was a time she didn’t like listening to her own voice.
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“I used to hate everything about me. The sound of my voice, the sound of my speaking voice. And I used to just be afraid to hear any music back,” she said.
The GRAMMY award-winning artist opened up to the hosts about her ongoing journey to self-love, saying she grew up thinking she couldn’t be one of the best in the business. But now, she can admit that she’s one of her biggest fans.
“We grow up thinking we couldn’t boast or brag or love on ourselves, and now I’m doing all that,” she said. “I have so much fun with myself. I’m like, ‘Girl, you look so good. I’m so proud of you. Oh, that looks nice on you.’ And I’m by myself a lot, so I’m always like, ‘Oh Mary, I love that! Let’s wear this tonight. That’s gonna be hot!’”
The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul said she got tired of being the person everyone else wanted her to be. And now that she’s laser focused on believing in herself, she wants to share that positive energy with others.
Mary, along with Pepsi and Live Nation Urban just announced the third annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit happening in New York City May 10 - May 12. The summit is a three-day event full of comedy, female empowerment sessions, keynote speakers and of course, music. Mary will perform in a star-studded concert along with 50 Cent, Jill Scott, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and more. You can find more information about the schedule and the tickets at www.soawfestival.com.
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