by Claude Julian| ARCHIVES

Stunner Baby Magazine Music turns up the heat on the soulfully driven hip hop thumping sound of Mary J Blige’s “Someone to Love Me.” On January 4, 2011 on Hot 97, Angie Martinez premiered a new version of Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Someone to Love Me”. The remix, titled “Someone to Love Me (Naked)”, features new vocals from Blige and Lil Wayne. The song was released as an iTunes digital download single on March 29, 2011 and serves as a teaser until the official first single from the album. The video for the song was directed by Colin Tilley. The video premiered online via Vevo on April 4, 2011 and made their television debut on April 5, 2011 following BET’s “The Game.”

Rolling Stone revealed the tracks likely to make the final cut of MJB’s tenth studio album are the Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis-produced “Feel Inside” and “Beautiful Scars,” a ballad by Diane Warren. MJB album features lots of retro live instrumentation and soul samples. Mary has also teamed back up for production from long time collaborators Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Babyface. MTV.com revealed that the album titled My Life II… The Journey Continues (Act 1), will be released November 21, 2011. The LP, recorded in Los Angeles and New York City, sees Mary looking toward the future while acknowledging the past. “From me to you, My Life II… Our journey together continues in this life,” explained Mary. “It’s a gift to be able to relate and identify with my fans at all times. This album is a reflection of the times and lives of people all around me.” The album will also feature production from Kanye West and The Underdogs.

On July 24, VH1 premiered their third Behind the Music on Mary that profiled Mary’s personal and career life. On August 25, 2011, Mary released her first single off the album simply titled “25/8″, which later reached number ten on iTunes for Top R&B/Soul song. My Life II… The Journey Continues (Act 1) will be released November 21, 2011.

It was confirmed in that MJB worked on her tenth studio album with Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, The Underdogs, Jerry Wonda, Arden Altino, Lil Ronnie, Jay-Z, Timbaland, Salaam Remi, Maxwell, Alicia Keys, Raphael Saadiq, Ester Dean, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Johnta Austin, Eric Hudson, Q-Tip, Sean Garrett, DJ Premier, Gorilla Tek, Don Pooh, Ne-Yo, and Drumma Boy.

Reports claimed the album would be titled, LovHer and be released first quarter of 2011, but Mary revealed to Rap-Up.com during her Music Saved My Life Tour in 2010, she was in no rush to release the album and she had not given it a title as of yet. A song called “Anything You Want” featuring Busta Rhymes and Gyptian leaked on line in August 2010. In November 2011, Mary confirmed in an interview that there will be a sequel to the album which will be titled My Life: Act 2 in May 2012.

Keeping with MJB branding machine, Mary J. Blige My Life by Carol’s Daughter is one of the latest celebrity fragrances to appear on the market and certainly the one which was most talked about in recent memory for its record-breaking sales on HSN on July 31st 2010, the day of its exclusive on air and online introduction. According to Harlem World, During the first 6 hours, 10,000 bottles of perfume were sold each hour. 20% more customers tuned in. 10,000 people signed up for regular shipping of the fragrance. And all this was based only on Mary J. Blige’s charisma, the link her fans feel with her and perhaps a phenomenon of instant, real-time mutually encouraging shopping spree and unfolding popularity.

As the media commented again and again, the bestseller’s takeoff was solely based on intangibles such as trust and love for the person behind the scent as no one could tell for sure what fragrance would come out of the heart-shaped flacon gilded with the words “My Life.” The one note that was released in advance must have been the most laconic press preview ever: expect tuberose. Then 4 days before the HSN launch, Blige unveiled a little more saying that My Life was for women “who love tuberose, love jasmine, love fruit,” she says. “It’s all there.”

MARY J.BLIGE GALLERY