Mary J. Blige

Mary Jane Blige, born on January 11, 1971, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress often referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B". She began her career as a backing vocalist for Uptown Records in the early 1990s. With a career spanning over thirty years, Blige has released 14 studio albums, 83 singles, and 2 live albums. She has sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide, with over 20 million of those sales in the United States alone.

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Blige was born in New York City; her father, a jazz musician, left her mother when she was five years old. She spent her early years exposed to her father's record collection, which included jazz, soul, and doo-wop records. At the age of 12, Blige discovered gospel music and began singing in talent shows and concerts. In her early teens, she began writing her own songs and performing them for school friends.

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Throughout her career, Blige has won numerous awards and received several Grammy nominations. Her achievements reflect her immense talent and influence as a singer-songwriter.