Mary J. Blige Didn't Like Her Own Voice, She Admits While Discussing Self-Image Issues

As hard as it is to believe, even the most talented and successful of musicians have a hard time living up to exaggerated standards.

BYGabriel Bras NevaresMar 09, 20241.8K Views

Mary J. Blige recently appeared on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna for a deep, enlightening, and pretty tender conversation about her life, career, and growth. Of course, they had a lot of great things to talk about concerning her artistry and her many accolades and successful ventures over the years. But even the most acclaimed and commercially dominant artists can struggle with reckoning with the exaggerated expectations that others, or themselves, set upon them. Moreover, the "Real Love" legend spoke to the program about how she didn't like her voice before, and how she's struggled with self-image throughout her life and continues to embrace herself today.

"I do now, I didn’t used to. I didn’t like the sound of my voice," Mary J. Blige told the panel during her recent appearance on national television. "But now I listen to my music and now I love everything about me, I do. 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. We grow up thinking we couldn’t boast or brag or love on ourselves, and now I’m doing all that."

Mary J. Blige Speaks On Self-Love & Self-Image On TODAY

Elsewhere, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul also spoke on her current stance on love and partnership. "I still believe in love... I'm not gonna give up on love, I'm not gonna give up on romance, I'm not gonna give up on myself," Mary J. Blige remarked. "I'm not gonna do that. I'm in love. I believe I deserve a good relationship with myself, with a partner. And you know, when you believe it, it comes to you."

Meanwhile, we're sure that the future will hold many, many more opportunities for celebration and due acclaim. After all, she is one of the nominees for the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and with more performances, music, and career moves on the way, it's clear that she's still enjoying that process. But all of that is moot if one doesn't have the confidence in themselves that others have for them, and it's heartening to see that this is a path that continues to grow. For more news and the latest updates on Mary J. Blige, stay logged into HNHH.

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About The Author

Gabriel Bras Nevares

Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.