LOS ANGELES (PRNewswire) -- Mary J. Blige, the legendary singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist and honorary Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, will re-release her acclaimed 1994 sophomore album, My Life, on November 20 via Geffen/UMe.
UMe's Urban Legends, the label imprint and cross-platform initiative devoted to the curation and celebration of over three decades of urban catalog music and culture, and Soul In The Horn, an innovative digital movement that seeks to bridge cultural gaps by bringing together a diverse cross-section of creative talents, have teamed up to create an extraordinary one-of-a-kind 3-D experience for ardent Mary J. Blige fans that celebrates the November 29 anniversary of My Life, one of the most critically acclaimed and important R&B albums of all time.
Over the past few days, 500 randomly selected superfans from her newsletter and website, ages 21+, received an invitation to dive into a dynamic online environment full of rare content via mobile or desktop that mirrors virtual reality.
Custom-built so fans can interact with one another as well as with digital concierges designed to guide them on-demand throughout the journey, UMe's Urban Legends and Soul In The Horn provide VIP access to My Life music, performances, visuals and more.
The album will be released in three physical forms: a 2CD, a standard weight black double vinyl, and a triple vinyl edition in translucent blue with a lenticular cover, including bonus tracks featuring LL Cool J, and Smif 'N Wessun.
The 3LP edition will also be available digitally which will also feature commentary by Mary J. Blige on the original album tracks. From her No. 57 hit "You Bring Me Joy" to her No. 22 version of Rose Royce's 1976 soul classic "I'm Going Down," My Life was one of Blige's most creatively vital works to date.
Bringing fans into My Life through an immersive digital experience fittingly celebrates an iconic artist and her groundbreaking album. In addition to basics such as emojis, chats and avatars to spur conversations, the journey starts in the studio and continues through to the stage allowing for 360 panning and immersive audio as visitors move through the virtual space easily navigated on mobile or desktop devices.
For additional guidance, fans may enlist the on-demand help of a concierge. The experience is scaled so that as one moves closer to or away from the action, video and sound increase and decrease proportionately.
Once inside, fans discover a great room that allows for roaming from one area to another solo or with other fans.
Areas include a studio environment where fans can listen to My Life with track-by-track commentary from Mary J. Blige as she discusses each song and what it means to her; a digital closet with deep dives into Blige's fashion statements and iconic looks; a special merchandise corner showcasing the Mary J. Blige Sun Goddess wine brand, and another area, a digital merch table, brings fans to the Mary J. Blige online store.
A stylish lounge invites fans to sit back and watch rarely seen interviews with Mary J. Blige. There's even a main stage where, as the headlining performer, Mary J. Blige takes the stage in filmed performances and videos. Fans can post about their experiences using #MJBMYLife.
'Welcome To My Life' brings an innovative artist and one of her most significant projects to some of her most dedicated fans via an innovative platform in an era when at-home entertainment is more important than ever.
In time, Blige became a global symbol of female empowerment and perseverance, but on My Life, she lay her soul bare to brilliant ends. For those who want to relive Blige's embattled masterpiece, now's the chance to rediscover My Life.
My Life Track Listing (2xLP) Side A
Intro
Mary Jane (All Night Long)
You Bring Me Joy
Marvin Interlude
I'm The Only Woman
Side B
K. Murray Interlude
My Life
You Gotta Believe
I Never Wanna Live Without You
Side C
I'm Goin' Down
My Life Interlude
Be With You
Mary's Joint
Side D
Don't Go
I Love You
No One Else
Be Happy
My Life Track Listing (2CD / 3xLP CE) Side A
Intro
Mary Jane (All Night Long)
You Bring Me Joy
Marvin Interlude
I'm The Only Woman
Side B
K. Murray Interlude
My Life
You Gotta Believe
I Never Wanna Live Without You
Side C
I'm Goin' Down
My Life Interlude
Be With You
Mary's Joint
Side D
Don't Go
I Love You
No One Else
Be Happy
Side E (Bonus Tracks)
Mary Jane (All Night Long) [Remix] Feat. LL Cool J
I'm Goin' Down (Remix) Feat. Mr. Cheeks
I Love You (Remix) Feat. Smif N' Wessun
Side F (Bonus Tracks)
Be Happy (Bad Boy Butter Remix)
Be Happy (Ron G Remix)
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
About Mary J. Blige Iconic Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, Oscar-nominated actress, producer and philanthropist, Mary J. Blige is a figure of inspiration, transformation and empowerment making her one of the defining voices of the contemporary music era.
With a track record of eight multi-platinum albums, nine Grammy Awards (plus a staggering 32 nominations), two Academy Award nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, and a SAG nomination, among many other accolades, Blige has cemented herself as a global superstar. And in the ensuing years, the singer/songwriter has attracted an intensely loyal fan base—responsible for propelling worldwide sales of more than 50 million albums.
Influenced at an early age by the music of Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Gladys Knight, Blige brought her own gritty, urban-rooted style—fusing hip-hop, soul and honest, frank lyrics—to the forefront on her 1992 debut album What's the 411?
The multi-platinum set, executive produced by Sean "Diddy" Combs, quickly spun off several hits, including two R&B No. 1s: "You Remind Me" and "Real Love." Blige helped redefine R&B and began forging a unique niche for herself on the more personal second album, 1994's My Life.
She is loved for her passionate, chart-topping hits like "Be Without You," "No More Drama" and "Family Affair," all of which have made her a force in music.
Each subsequent album reads like a chapter from an autobiography: Share My World (1997), Mary (1999), No More Drama (2001), Love & Life (2003), the multiple Grammy-winning and hit-spewing The Breakthrough (2005), Growing Pains (2007), Stronger with Each Tear (2009), My Life II... The Journey Continues (2011), A Mary Christmas (2013) and The London Sessions (2014). Along the way, she's lined up a string of hit singles, including "Not Gon' Cry," "Love Is All We Need," "Seven Days," "All That I Can Say," "Family Affair" and "Just Fine."
Blige released her 14th studio album Strength of a Woman in 2017. The first single, "Thick of It," held the number 1 spot on the Urban AC Chart for 16 consecutive weeks after its release in November. Blige also scored her latest #1 single off this album with "U + Me (Love Lesson)."
In the summer of 2019, Blige was honored with the BET Lifetime Achievement award, and completed a U.S Summer tour with New York rapper Nas. Most recently, she wrote and performed a new song for the celebrated documentary Belly of the Beast entitled "See What You've Done." The documentary, which was released in October 2020, uncovers illegal sterilizations in women's prisons in the Department of Corrections in California and was filmed over a period of seven years.
On the acting side, Blige starred as Florence Jackson in the 2017 Netflix breakout film Mudbound, to which she received critical acclaim including two Academy Award nominations for Best Support Actress and Best Original Song.
She starred in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy, which premiered on the platform in February 2019. This past April, Blige voiced "Queen Essence" in Dreamworks' TROLLS WORLD TOUR movie, and most recently Blige starred in Paramount's Body Cam, alongside Nat Wolff, that was released digitally this past May.
Blige dropped a new single entitled "Can't Be Life," an original song for Body Cam that speaks candidly to the current times and is featured over the end credits of the film. Blige is currently starring in STARZ's POWER BOOK II: GHOST, a new television series inspired by the original show, POWER, that premiered on the network this September. On the producing side, Blige launched her production company, Blue Butterfly, and signed a first-look TV deal with Lionsgate. Blige most recently Executive Produced Lifetime's The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. The biopic marked the highest-rated original movie for Lifetime since 2016.
Blige has also entered the fashion and beauty realm with her jewelry line "Sister Love" with long-time friend Simone I. Smith and her "Love Me" lipstick line with MAC Cosmetics. Just this year, she launched her own wine collection, Sun Goddess Wines, in collaboration with the internationally prestigious Fantinel Winery. The collection currently includes two wines that are now available nationwide, an Italian Pinot Grigio Ramato and an Italian Sauvignon Blanc.
Next up, Blige will star as Dinah Washington in the Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect, alongside Jennifer Hudson coming out in August 2021.
Blige is also working with Oscar-winning filmmaker Vanessa Roth and Amazon on an untitled documentary celebrating the 25th anniversary of her famed album My Life. Blige will not only be the subject of the documentary, where she will reflect on her nearly 30-year career within the music industry, but also an Executive Producer through her own production company Blue Butterfly.
About Urban Legends Urban Legends is the UMG label imprint and cross-platform initiative devoted to the curation and celebration of over three decades of urban catalog music and culture. Urban Legends celebrates the revolutionary and defining recordings primarily of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
At its core, Urban Legends serves as both an editorial content site and e-commerce platform, delivering daily news, editorial features and franchises, and video updates on hip-hop and R&B artists within the UMG ecosystem. Urban Legends is a division of UMe.
SOURCES: Urban Legends/UMe; PRNewswire
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