Earlier this year, Mary J. Blige teased that a new project is coming this summer.
While the mysterious work hasn’t materialized yet, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has shared an exciting update with her fans.
Blige took to social media to inform her followers that fresh tunes are on the horizon.
“Black Butterfly. New music coming soon,” Blige wrote in an Instagram caption for a photo slide of her rocking a Ray Of Gold Print ensemble by Roberto Cavalli.
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As indicated above, Blige teased that a project was coming this year in an Audacy Check In with Big Tigger of Atlanta’s V-103. “I’m working on a project,” Blige told Tigger. “Something nice for my fans.”
Blige didn’t share many details about the project. However, she mentioned that it has more hip-hop soul and is less experimental, like her 2014 gem, The London Sessions.
“That’s what I do,” she said. “I tried The London Sessions, which was not a bad thing because I love music, period. But this is what I do.”
In an April interview with People, Blige hinted that her next project may be her final. “It’s probably my last studio album,” Blige said. She also shared what’s been keeping her creativity going for this new era.
“I believe in love for myself, love for life, love for happiness, love for God, love for peace. Know that life is full of ups and downs, and roll with the punches because life is important,” Blige said.
Blige’s next project will follow her 14th album, Good Morning Gorgeous, released Feb. 11, 2022.
Speaking on the inspiration behind the album’s title, Blige told Zane Lowe of Apple Music, “Good morning, gorgeous, the affirmation, came from being in a very, very dark, low place where I was never enough. I wasn’t good enough… I wasn’t pretty enough.”
She continued, “Nothing would please this person, and I had to speak something positive over my life in order to build my spirit back up so I can pull myself out of that negative space I was in. It’s just a positive word I had to speak over my life that has gotten me to this title of this album.”
Later that May, Blige released the deluxe edition of the album.
Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe) scored Blige six nominations at the 65th Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best R&B Album.
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” produced by D’Mile and H.E.R., received nods for Best Traditional R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, and Record of the Year.
Blige’s Anderson .Paak-assisted “Here With Me“ was nominated for Best R&B Performance.
Following Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous era, the R&B legend returned with her single “Still Believe in Love,” featuring Vado, in October 2023.
“I wrote [‘Still Believe in Love’] when I was fresh out of my divorce because I needed to say something different and something positive, other than what was going on in my life,” Blige told Big Tigger during an Audacy Check In. “I had to believe in myself. The timing, the climate for the song was just perfect for right now. People need some positivity.”
“Still Believe in Love” spent eight weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart.
In other news, Blige will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 19.
The ceremony will be held at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. It will air on ABC at a later date and be available on Hulu on Sunday, Oct. 20.
“Beyond Grateful!!!!!! This is incredible!!! God always has the final say!!!! Thank you to my fans all over the world!!!! Tears of Joy!!!! @rockhall #rockhall2024,” Blige wrote in an Instagram post.
In May, Mary J. Blige released her “Still Believe in Love (Remix)” featuring Fat Joe, Raekwon and Jadakiss.
READ MORE: Mary J. Blige’s 30 Best Songs, Ranked
