Mary Jane Blige, born on January 11, 1971, is a renowned American singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist.
She began her career as a backing singer for Uptown Records in 1989, eventually releasing her debut album, What's the 411?, in 1992.
Her 1994 album, My Life, has been recognized as one of the greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone and Time magazine, earning a spot on their respective lists of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and All-Time 100 Albums.
Throughout her illustrious career, Blige has received numerous accolades, including nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards.
She has also been nominated for several Golden Globe Awards, including a nod for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for the original song "Mighty River" from the same film.
Additionally, Blige has received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song, making her the first person to be nominated in both categories in the same year.
As of 2018, Blige has sold an impressive 80 million records worldwide, solidifying her position as one of the most successful artists of all time.
Billboard has recognized Blige as the most successful female R&B/Hip-Hop artist of the past 25 years, and her 2006 song "Be Without You" has been named the most successful R&B/Hip-Hop song of all time by Billboard magazine.
Blige has also been ranked as one of the greatest artists of all time by VH1, with the network ranking her as the 80th greatest artist in 2011 and the 9th greatest woman in music in 2012.
