Strength of a Woman | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 28, 2017 [1] | |||
Studio |
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Genre | R&B [2] | |||
Length | 57:42 | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Producer | ||||
Mary J. Blige chronology | ||||
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Singles from Strength of a Woman | ||||
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Strength of a Woman is the thirteenth studio album by American R&B singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige. It was released on April 28, 2017, by Capitol Records. A pre-divorce album with heavy adult contemporary trap sounds, [3] Blige co-wrote most of the album with American musicians Brandon "B.A.M" Hodge and DJ Camper, while additional production was provided by BadBadNotGood, Bigg D, Hit-Boy, Kaytranada, Lamb, and Neff-U. Strength of a Woman's subject matter was inspired by her personal journey of marital struggle and heartache which culminated in her separation from her manager Kendu Isaacs in 2016.
The album was released to positive reception from music critics, who complimented its current but faintly retro production and Blige's emotionally transparent songwriting. Commercially, it became her first top three album on the US Billboard 200 since Stronger with Each Tear (2009) with opening sales of with 78,000 album-equivalent units. Internationally, it peaked at number three on the UK R&B Albums chart and reached number 22 in Canada. Earning Blige a number of accolades and nominations, Strength of a Woman won the singer the BET Her Award at the BET Awards 2018.
Strength of a Woman produced four singles, including "Thick of It" and "U + Me (Love Lesson), both of which peaked atop the US Adult R&B Songs chart, with the former spending a record-breaking 16 consecutive weeks at number-one. Two further singles, "Love Yourself" and "Set Me Free," were released in March and July 2017. In support of the album, Blige embarked on the Strength of a Woman Tour from April 2, 2017 to September 9, 2017. In 2022, she named the inaugural Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit, a three-day festival in Atlanta, in partnership with Live Nation Urban after the album. [4]
In 2014, Blige moved to London for a while and produced her twelfth studio album The London Sessions (2014). Conceived during a time when she was questioning whether she even wanted to make music any more, [5] her largely European team of collaborators, including singer Sam Smith and electronic music duo Disclosure, helped her re-boosting her lacking self-esteem. [5] Released to Blige's strongest reviews in years, [6] The London Sessions became her lowest-selling album yet. [7] Inspired to branch more seriously into acting, she subsequently moved to Los Angeles, where she signed on to co-star opposite actress Carey Mulligan in director Dee Rees's historical drama Mudbound (2017) and began work on her next studio album for she reached out to producers Brandon Hodge and DJ Camper. [5]
Meanwhile, Blige's personal life experienced an extended downturn. After being married for 13 years, she filed for divorce from her husband and manager of twelve years, Kendu Isaacs, in the summer of 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. [5] While the separation resulted in a "nasty court battle" between her and Isaacs, the events leading up to it largely inspired the material that Blige had penned for the album. [8] Pulling away from a divorce album, [3] Strength of a Woman chronicles what the singer went through while she was trying to salvage her marriage. In a 2017 interview with Extra , Blige commented: "The title Strength of a Woman came from actually me understanding my strength as a woman, not from this divorce. The divorce came later. Which is when the divorce happened. But I was writing this album earlier from the perspective of a woman fighting really, really hard for her marriage." [9]
Capitol Records released several singles in promotion of Strength of a Woman, including promotional singles "Glow" and the album's title track. [10] [11] Lead single "Thick of It" was released by Capitol Records on October 7, 2016. Sampling from "Give a Little Love" by Scottish pop rock band Bay City Rollers, [12] the song topped the US Adult R&B Songs chart for a record-breaking 16 consecutive weeks, surpassing Blige's previous best with "Be Without You," which had spent 14 weeks at number one in 2006. [13] Vaulting to the top spot in only four weeks, it marked the chart's quickest run to number one since Whitney Houston's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" (1995) as well as Blige's fifth chart topper. [14] It also reached number 47 on US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was ranked seventh on Billboard's 2017 Adult R&B Songs year-end chart. [15]
Follow-up "U + Me (Love Lesson)," a midtempo soul ballad about a breakup, [16] was issued on February 17, 2017. [17] The song became Blige's sixth chart-topper at the US Adult R&B Songs chart when it reached the summit on the May 6 chart issue. [18] Billboard ranked it eighth on its 2017 Adult R&B Songs year-end chart. [15] Third single "Love Yourself" featuring rapper ASAP Rocky was released on March 30, 2017. [19] [20] The song contains samples from "Nobody Knows" (1970) by The SCLC Operation Breadbasket Orchestra And Choir. [12] The album version of the song which features Kanye West, peaked at number 11 on the US Adult R&B Songs chart. [18] Fourth and final single "Set Me Free" was released on July 19, 2017. [21] It became Blige's 22nd top-ten hit on the US Adult R&B Songs chart, peaking at number eight, while tying the record for most top-10 hits on that chart. [22]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 74/100 [23] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [24] |
Clash | 7/10 [25] |
Exclaim! | 8/10 [26] |
The Guardian | [27] |
HipHopDX | 3.7/5 [28] |
The Independent | [29] |
Pitchfork | 7.7/10 [30] |
Strength of a Woman received generally positive reviews from music critics. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 74, based on seven reviews. [23] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times gave the album a positive review, stating that, "the album moves like a forest fire: ruthless, wide-ranging, and blunt." [31] Matt Bauer of Exclaim! praised the lyrics, and called it Blige's best work in over a decade, but criticizing songs such as "Glow Up", and "Smile". [26] In a positive review, Julianne Shepherd of Pitchfork considered the album a relief from Blige's previous album, The London Sessions , along with Blige sticking to what makes her unique. [30] Chuck Arnold from Entertainment Weekly felt that the album was "missing a killer cut or two; the empowering title track is the closest thing to a classic MJB anthem [...] The tone is more muted and melancholy than you might expect from a scorned Blige." [32]
In a positive review, Andy Kellman of AllMusic gave the album 3.5 stars, calling some of the songs clichéd, however, praising the anthems on the album. [24] Alluding to theme of the album, Kylie Eustice from HipHopDX wrote: "Pain is practically synonymous with art, so it’s not surprising Blige has delivered another round of raw, gritty and emotionally transparent songwriting." [28] Clash editor Ammar Kalia felt that "running at 16 full-length tracks, Strength of a Woman can seem overindulgent. Songs that are enjoyable in isolation, or as a smaller subset, become either repetitive or forgettable in the context of the whole." [25] Kate Hutchinson of The Guardian gave a mixed review of the album, criticizing the song "Glow Up", calling it too similar to other artists such as Rihanna, and Beyoncé. Despite these complaints, she praised the anthems included on the album. [27] In another mixed review, Andy Gill of The Independent found the album using a generic R&B theme, however, stating that some songs included on the album are able to do it well, such as "Set Me Free". [29]
Strength of a Woman debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 on the issue dated ending May 20, 2017, with 78,000 album-equivalent units, (including 72,000 standard copies) in its first week. [33] It became Blige's highest-charting album since 2009's Stronger with Each Tear , her tenth top five entry, and thirteenth top ten album on the chart. [34] The album marked a significant spike of sales for the singer, whose previous release The London Sessions (2014) had opened at number nine, with first week sales of 55,000 copies. [33] Strength of a Woman also debuted at number two on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number one on the Top R&B Albums charts, respectively. [35] By August 2017, it had sold 165,000 copies in the US. [36]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Love Yourself" (featuring Kanye West) | DJ Camper | 4:58 | |
2. | "Thick of It" |
| DJ Camper | 4:01 |
3. | "Set Me Free" |
| DJ Camper | 3:29 |
4. | "It's Me" |
| B.A.M. | 4:30 |
5. | "Glow Up" (featuring Quavo, DJ Khaled and Missy Elliott) |
| DJ Camper | 4:05 |
6. | "U + Me (Love Lesson)" |
| B.A.M. | 4:57 |
7. | "Indestructible" |
| B.A.M. | 4:43 |
8. | "Thank You" |
|
| 4:05 |
9. | "Survivor" |
|
| 4:44 |
10. | "Find the Love" |
| 3:23 | |
11. | "Smile" (featuring Prince Charlez) |
| 3:42 | |
12. | "Telling the Truth" (featuring Kaytranada) | 3:57 | ||
13. | "Strength of a Woman" |
|
| 3:49 |
14. | "Hello Father" |
| Hit-Boy | 3:19 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Love Yourself" (featuring Kanye West) | 4:58 | ||
2. | "Thick of It" | 4:01 | ||
3. | "Set Me Free" | 3:29 | ||
4. | "It's Me" | 4:30 | ||
5. | "Glow Up" (featuring Quavo, DJ Khaled and Missy Elliott) | 4:05 | ||
6. | "The Naked Truth" |
| B.A.M. | 3:39 |
7. | "U + Me (Love Lesson)" | 4:56 | ||
8. | "Indestructible" | 4:43 | ||
9. | "Thank You" | 4:05 | ||
10. | "Survivor" | 4:44 | ||
11. | "Find the Love" | 3:23 | ||
12. | "Smile" (featuring Prince Charlez) | 3:42 | ||
13. | "Telling the Truth" (featuring Kaytranada) | 3:57 | ||
14. | "Strength of a Woman" | 3:49 | ||
15. | "Love in the Middle" |
| B.A.M. | 3:27 |
16. | "Hello Father" | 3:19 |
Notes
Sample credits
Credits for Strength of a Woman adapted from AllMusic. [12]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Mary Jane Blige is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, including the Billboard Icon Award. She has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its original song "Mighty River", becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year.
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" is a 1967 song by American soul singer Aretha Franklin released as a single by the Atlantic label. The words were written by Gerry Goffin from an idea by Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler, and the music was composed by Carole King. Written for Franklin, the record was a big hit reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became one of her signature songs. It made history on the UK Singles Chart a week after her death, finally becoming a hit almost 51 years after it was first released, entering at No. 79. Franklin also included a live recording on the album Aretha in Paris in 1968.
Share My World is the third studio album by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige, released by MCA on April 22, 1997. The album became Blige's first to open at number one on the US Billboard 200 album chart. Moreover, it is her first album where she serves as an executive producer, alongside Steve Stoute, who also shared executive producer credits on the album.
Mary is the fourth studio album by American singer Mary J. Blige, released August 17, 1999, on MCA Records. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 239,000 copies in its first week. It spent 57 weeks on the chart and produced five charting singles. Upon its release, Mary received acclaim from music critics. It has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of two million units in the United States.
The Breakthrough is the seventh studio album by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was released by Geffen Records on December 20, 2005. Initally expected to be released in 2006, it switched release dates with Blige's first greatest hits album Reflections (2006) after fruitful collaborations with a host of songwriters and record producers, including 9th Wonder, Rodney Jerkins, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Bryan-Michael Cox, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Raphael Saadiq, Chucky Thompson, Cool & Dre, Ron Fair, and will.i.am, prompted Blige and her label to shift material from Reflections to The Breakthrough.
"Be Without You" is a song by American recording artist Mary J. Blige. It was written by Johntá Austin, Bryan Michael Cox, Jason Perry, and Blige for her seventh studio album, The Breakthrough (2005). Production was helmed by Cox, with additional production from Young Smoke and vocal production from Ron Fair and Blige. A piano-tinkling downtempo R&B song, the song examines a relationship where the couple is trying to decide if they want to stay together, with Blige urging them to appreciate their blessings. "Be Without You" was released as the album's first official single on November 14, 2005.
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"Not Gon' Cry" is a song by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige, from the soundtrack to the film Waiting to Exhale; the song is also featured on Blige's third album, Share My World (1997). It was written and produced by Babyface and became a major hit for Blige in the United States, where it peaked at numbers one and two on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles and Hot 100 charts, respectively. The single sold 1,000,000 copies domestically and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
"Take Me as I Am" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Jordan "Infinity" Suecof and Thabiso "Tab" Nkhereanye along with three members of the writing collective The Clutch, Ezekiel Lewis, Candice Nelson, and singer Keri Hilson, for her seventh studio album, The Breakthrough (2005). Production was helmed by Infinity and Ron Fair, with co-production from Tal Herzberg. The song contains samples from "Garden of Peace" (1979) by American jazz musician Lonnie Liston Smith. Due to the inclusion of the sample, he is also credited as songwriter.
"Sweet Thing" is a song performed by American funk and R&B band Rufus with vocals by band member Chaka Khan. As a single, it peaked number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1976. Mary J. Blige recorded her version, which charted in the United States and New Zealand in 1993.
"I Can Love You" is a song by American recording artist Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige along with her sister LaTonya Blige-DaCosta, Rodney Jerkins, and Lil' Kim for her third album, Share My World (1997), with Jerkins producing the song and Lil Kim having featured vocals. The contains elements of the song "Queen Bitch," a track from Kim's debut album Hard Core (1996), co-written by Carlos Broady and Nashiem Myrick. Due to the inclusion of the sample, they are also credited as songwriters.
"Love Is All We Need" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige, with a guest rap from Nas. It was written by Blige, Nas, James Harris III, and Terry Lewis for Blige's third studio album, Share My World (1997), while production was helmed by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. The song contains a sample of the song "Moonchild" (1985) as performed by American singer Rick James. With its more buoyant tone, it stood in conspicuous contrast to much of the more dark-rooted material featured on Blige's earlier albums.
"Work That" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige, Sean Garrett, and Theron "Neff-U" Feemster for her eighth studio album, Growing Pains (2007), while production was overseen by the latter, with Garrett also credited as a co-producer. A self-love promoting rap pop track, which draw from Blige's own journey to towards self-acceptance, "Work That" has the singer stressing to young women everywhere to embrace their individuality and love who they are.
"Be Happy" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Arlene DeValle, and Jean-Claude Olivier from duo Poke & Tone for her second studio album, My Life (1994), while production was helmed by Combs and Olivier. "Be Happy" contains an instrumental sample of the song "You're So Good to Me" (1979) by musician Curtis Mayfield and a re-sung vocal portion of the record "I Want You" (1976) by Marvin Gaye.
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Think Like a Man Too is the first soundtrack album by American singer Mary J. Blige. It serves as the soundtrack from the romantic comedy film of the same name (2014). The album was released on June 17, 2014, by Epic Records. It features guest appearances from The-Dream and Pharrell Williams, while production was handled by Rodney Jerkins, The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, Williams, Pop & Oak, Jerry Duplessis, Darhyl "Hey DJ" Camper, Mark J. Feist, and Ronald "Flippa" Colson, among others.
"Thick of It" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige, Darhyl "DJ" Camper Jr., and Jazmine Sullivan for her thirteenth studio album Strength of a Woman (2017), while production was helmed by Camper. The song embodies portions of the song "Give a Little Love" (1975) by Scottish pop rock band Bay City Rollers. Due to the inclusion of the sample, John Goodison and Phil Wainman are also credited as songwriters. The song was released as the lead single from the album on October 7, 2016. "Thick of It" went to number one on the US Adult R&B Songs chart.
"U + Me (Love Lesson)" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige from her 13th studio album, Strength of a Woman (2017). It was released on February 17, 2017, as the album's second single. Brandon "B.A.M." Hodge produced "U + Me (Love Lesson)" and co-wrote it with Charles Hinshaw, David D. Brown, and Mary J. Blige. It is a soul ballad, and its lyrics revolve around a breakup.
"Love Yourself" is a song recorded by American singer Mary J. Blige featuring rapper Kanye West. It was written by Blige, West, Charles Hinshaw, David D. Brown, Darhyl "DJ" Camper, Jr. for her thirteenth studio album, Strength of a Woman (2017), while production was helmed by the latter. The song contains samples from "Nobody Knows" (1970) by The SCLC Operation Breadbasket Orchestra And Choir. Due to the inclusion of the sample, I. Andrews is also credited as a songwriter. "Love Yourself" released on March 30, 2017, as the third single from Strength of a Woman.
"Set Me Free" is a song recorded by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige, Jazmine Sullivan, Darhyl "DJ" Camper, Jr., and Charles Hinshaw for her thirteenth studio album, Strength of a Woman (2017), while production was helmed by Camper. The song was released as the album's fourth single on July 19, 2017, and peaked at number eight on the US Adult R&B Songs.