Just two days before performing at the 2022 Super Bowl LVI halftime show, Mary J. Blige will release her 14th album, Good Morning Gorgeous, on Feb 11, her first new music since Strength of a Woman in 2017.
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Accompanying the news of the album, Blige also shared two new singles, the title track and “Amazing,” featuring DJ Khaled.
“Working on this new album has been so much fun,” said Blige in a statement. “I’m excited for my fans to hear these first two songs to give them a taste of what’s to come. I’m grateful to all my collaborators and partners who have walked with me through this process and even more grateful to my fans who I hope have a blast with this new music.”
Written with D’Mile, H.E.R., Lucky Dye, “Good Morning Gorgeous” was also produced by H.E.R. and D’Mile; H.E.R. also contributed guitar and background vocals. “Amazing” was written by Blige, Denisia Andrews, Brittany Coney, Khaled, Streetrunner, Tarik Azzouz, Willie Cobbs, and Ellas McDaniels; Khaled also produced the track with Azzouz and Streetrunner.
“It’s gonna blow everybody’s mind,” said Blige in a recent interview. “And it’s because it’s something I had to do, and something I had to say when I was in my darkest moments in that life, to build myself up to this person that I can see and accept my nose, accept my eyes, accept my cheeks, accept all the things that I used to hate.”
Accompanying the self-confident dance anthem “Amazing” is the more soulful, strings-led song, “Good Morning Gorgeous,” addressing the other side of overcoming struggles and self-doubt with Blige singing All the times that I hated myself / All the times that I wanted to be someone else / All the times that I should’ve been gentle with me / All the times that I should’ve been careful with me / Why did I hate myself so intensely. The song came from Blige’s daily affirmation: “Good morning, gorgeous.”
“I ain’t talking about getting no hair and makeup,” said Blige of the title track. “I’m talking about soon as I wake up.”
In June, Blige released a documentary My Life, chronicling her 1994 album of the same name. “My Life is the album that really bonded me with my fans who have since been along for what turned out to be a crazy ride,” said Blige. “Going back and reliving that time and that music felt like an out-of-body experience, but one I’m so humbled by.”
Blige insists that she’s not cocky or arrogant. She’s just earned the right to say certain things, which she’s unleashing on Good Morning Gorgeous.
“I earned the right to say ‘I feel amazing,'” said Blige. “When I wake up with no hair and makeup, I’m accepting that chick that goes to the bathroom and I like her. I hang out with myself a lot. I’m my own best friend.”
(Photo: Mary J. Blige / www.maryjblige.com/Photos)
