She’s an undeniable talent and she filled a void for people that weren’t being seen. Blige herself is someone with a lasting legacy and, like with all things, it comes down to talent and representation. Mary J Blige’s My Life looks at more than just the “My Life” album but why Mary J. She does a good job of explaining the heartbreaking reality of why people stay in abusive relationships. It’s important to know that just because someone has wealth doesn’t mean they don’t struggle to face the same insecurities many people do, especially in regards to self-worth. Some people hate hearing about celebrity struggles, but I think what she grappled with while making “My Life” is important to talk about. She had seen her mother be in abusive relationships, but she was unable to break the cycle. They showed an interview where the interviewer showed Mary a clip of K-Ci dismissing their relationship, the possibility of them being engaged/serious, and Mary was expected to respond.

She also got into an abusive relationship with K-Ci. She also talked about how she turned to drink and substance abuse to cope and how that was common for girls in the projects.Īfter she got discovered, and her first album blew up, she leaned more into drinking and substance abuse as they were her proven coping method. She likened growing up in the projects to being in “a prison, inside a prison, inside a prison.” How as a teenager she never smiled, and how she started to carry everyone’s pain (her mother’s, her neighbours, etc.). By doing this, she’s establishing a base point for her darkest point, so you truly understand what she means when she says that. Then she hits you with context letting you know how hard her life was long before she made the album: her father leaving when she was young, moving to the projects, being molested, her mother being abused, etc. Blige lets you know that the making of the “My Life” album was the darkest point of her life. Blige was vulnerable and Vanessa Roth brought a distinct visual style utilizing art/illustrations to make the music and story come to life and break up the talking head.

The ones that work do so because the artists are ready to be vulnerable and there is a distinct visual style. I’ve watched a few of these artist documentaries.

Unfortunately we don’t live in that world. This documentary would’ve been right at home at the Princess of Wales with a Toronto audience of her fans primed to watch, possibly even paired with a live performance of one or two songs. Blige’s “My Life” album, I know in another world where Covid didn’t happen, there is a good chance this movie would’ve seen a 2020 TIFF screening complete with red carpet. Filmed in 2019 in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of Mary J.

Mary j blige my life album youtube