Mary J. Blige, 53, the renowned R&B icon, recently announced her retirement plans in an interview published on April 29. She expressed her desire to leave the music industry in “five or six years.”
Blige, best known for her roles in Umbrella Academy and Scream: Resurrection, reportedly told EXTRA that she plans to retire in five or six years and continue to act. She stated that she is no longer as involved in it as she once was because she is not required to participate.
Regarding the music that she is currently producing, Blige said she sings about life, love, stability, and the understanding that you can have both love and a good life. She went on to say to EXTRA, “Mostly the love I have for myself. My real love is me and I found it.”
Mary J. Blige inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Even though the singer’s three-decade music career is coming to an end, her achievements—which include her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024—keep piling up.
On April 21, American Idol announced Blige’s induction, along with Cher, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & the Gang, Ozzy Osbourne, and A Tribe Called Quest.
Blige shared her thoughts on the information, stating that she is still trying to process it all. The singer of “Just Fine” continued, telling Extra that receiving this kind of recognition is “the most amazing thing… it is in a class by itself.” Blige is scheduled to perform at the ceremony — scheduled for October 19 in Cleveland.
Mary J. Blige’s Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit is coming to NYC
Blige spoke with PEOPLE earlier this month about her third annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit. This is scheduled to take place in her hometown of New York City from May 10 to May 12, just in time for Mother’s Day weekend.
Celebrities will appear at a variety of events throughout the three-day festival, which is the only one organized entirely by Black women. These events include the Strength of a Woman Summit at The Glasshouse, as well as other motivational seminars and programs.
Blige told PEOPLE, “It’s been amazing and exciting and just so fulfilling to do what I always wanted to do, continue to give people a piece of me, uplift us, inspire us and elevate us — the same way I’ve been doing through my music, I’m doing it through my festival now — and of course, entertain us as well.”
Blige stated in the interview that the album she is currently working on may be her final one. She told PEOPLE that she loved it, enjoyed it, and mentioned that it might be her last studio album.
ALSO READ: Urban One Honors 2024: Mary J Blige and Dionne Warwick Among Those Recognized This Year
