money Mary J. Blige Recalls “Choosing Herself” Ahead Of Films ‘Real Love’ And ‘Strength Of A Woman’
Grammy winning Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige has embarked on a new journey from behind the camera. As part of Lifetime’s celebration of Black Music Month, the Good Morning Gorgeous songstress has executive produced two films named after her empowering and popular songs, “Real Love” and “Strength of A Woman.”
Starring actors Abraham “Da’Vinchi” Juste and Ajiona Alexus, Mary’s upcoming Lifetime movies bring forth two stories centered around strength, love, life and resilience. Real Love, which is set to premiere this weekend, sees a relationship between two HBCU students that gets challenged, forcing them to make decisions that will affect their future together.
Strength of A Woman is a continuation of that love story; the two college sweethearts are living in the reality they created years ago at the fictional Hammon University.
“I chose these songs through timing,” Blige said of bringing 1992’s “Real Love” to the small screen. “When I co-wrote ‘Real Love’ with Mark and Cory Rooney, I wasn’t in a place of love, self-love. It was survival, self-hatred, ‘move how you need to move,’ ‘go hard as you can,’ but ignore yourself. But now I’m in a place where I found out where that love comes from and that love that didn’t come from searching for it in other people. It came from everything I went through and finding it in myself.”
Thinking of how her own experiences have made her into the resilient woman she is today, she added, “Now I’m able to see what true love really is, and let people know that love matters … relationships matter … Black love matters — just love matters period. That’s why I chose ‘Real Love,’ because it was my first real song and the journey that I was on.”
Blige’s rough upbringing is one that she’s spoken about publicly and has also been documented in TV specials and interviews. Despite it all, the New York icon sang through her pain and helped many others channel theirs. “I came right out of my divorce and wrote ‘Strength of a Woman,’ because I felt like I needed to empower myself and speak to myself and remind myself that I am a strong woman. And that’s why these songs are super important.”
A constant theme seen within both Lifetime films is finding the strength to not only choose yourself, but find love within. When asked about a moment in life that she chose herself over everything else, Blige noted her divorce from ex-husband Kendu Isaacs, which was finalized in 2018.
“I had to choose myself and find love for myself. That was before I was in a really bad situation,” the Power: Ghost star recalled. “I was married and I was going through it, and I had to choose Mary. I had to choose Mary and find the love for myself. That’s really it. That’s why I’m even here able to tell this story like this because I chose the real love for myself. And now I can see what love is.”
Through her own self-discovery, Blige has learned an important lesson. “It’s not about a person propping you up and making you feel good about yourself. It’s about you propping you up and making you feel good about yourself so that you can help and love everybody else. And so here I am. That’s my story. That’s where it came from.”
Real Love and Strength of A Woman follow characters Ben (Da’Vinchi) and Kendra (Alexus), who Blige says she sees much of herself in. “I relate to Kendra’s character because she was strong-minded, strong-willed. She had self-awareness,” she noted. “She was not afraid to see who she is so she can change. She always wanted more for herself. So that’s how I relate to Kendra.”
A self-proclaimed “drama queen” when it comes to movies, Blige revealed which other songs in her vast catalog that she would turn into films, naming “Not Gon’ Cry” and “Just Fine” to complete Kendra and Ben’s love story.
On Saturday (June 10), viewers can watch the first film Real Love. Strength of A Woman debuts the following weekend on Saturday (June 17). Take a look at the trailer for Real Love below and watch the full interview with Mary J. Blige above.
Catch its premiere this Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.
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