by Mary J. Blige is one of the most talented and iconic R&B singers of our time. With a career spanning over 25 years, she has cemented herself as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul thanks to her powerful voice, honest lyrics, and trendsetting style. Even though Mary is constantly busy with her music career, touring, acting gigs and business ventures, she still makes time for the things she loves most outside of work.
Family & Friends
One of Mary’s top priorities is spending quality time with her inner circle. She has a very close-knit family, including her parents, siblings and daughters. Mary makes sure to call her parents every day when she’s not touring to check in and tell them she loves them. She also loves hosting holiday gatherings and birthday parties for her family members.
Mary has said that her daughters, Briana and Simone, are her greatest accomplishment. She loves being a hands-on mom when her schedule allows, taking the girls to school, helping with homework, enjoying pool days, and having movie nights. Mary and her daughters are very silly together and often make TikTok videos dancing and goofing off. The girls are Mary’s biggest fans and she is so proud of the young women they are becoming.
In addition to family, Mary stays connected to her childhood friends from Yonkers as well as friends she’s made throughout her successful career. She relies on her closest girlfriends to keep her grounded. They have grown up together,Started out on the same record label, and shaped Mary’s career. She says her friends mean everything to her and she doesn’t know what she would do without their wisdom and sisterhood. Mary makes it a priority to call her besties, many she’s had for over 25 years, to catch up and laugh.
Travel & Adventure
Mary loves seeing the world and experiencing new cultures whenever she has down time. Some of her favorite travel destinations include Italy, France, Mexico, Thailand, the Bahamas and many countries throughout Africa. She has said that connecting with the people and soaking up the culture is the best part of her travels.
Some of Mary’s favorite adventures include safari rides in Kenya where she saw elephants, lions and zebras up close. She also loved exploring the ancient ruins and pyramids of Egypt. The tropical beaches of Bali and Fiji are always a go-to vacation spot where Mary can relax on the sand and snorkel with tropical fish. No matter where she goes, Mary fully immerses herself in the local scene, trying the cuisine, learning regional dances, and chatting with locals. Photography is also one of her favorite travel hobbies.
Fashion & Shopping
Mary has always loved fashion, and shopping is one of her favorite pastimes. She is known for her bold, glamorous style that set trends throughout her career. She loves picking up new designer pieces from Fendi, Gucci, Chanel and other luxury brands when traveling the world. Fans love when she posts her outfits of the day on Instagram before events and appearances.
Some of Mary’s favorite places to shop at home include Rodeo Drive in LA, Ventura Blvd, the Grove, Barney’s and more chic boutiques. She also hits up glam fashion shows during NY Fashion Week. Mary loves buying shoes, jewelry, handbags, and anything sparkly or faux fur. Even when she’s not shopping for herself, she loves picking up little gifts and goodies for her daughters and friends.
Health, Wellness & Pampering
Self-care is crucial for Mary to thrive in her busy lifestyle. She enjoys getting massages, manicures, pedicures, facials and experimenting with the latest beauty treatments. Some of her favorite spa indulgences include mineral pools, infra-red saunas, oxygen facials and guided meditation therapies.
Mary also makes health a priority by keeping up with her workouts, drinking plenty of water, taking vitamins and eating nutritious meals. She has her own personal chef who cooks delicious clean meals and juices. Some of her go-to workouts include cycling, running, weight training and dance cardio classes. Mary loves sharing her health and wellness journey on social media to inspire other women.
Giving Back
Another one of Mary’s passions is giving back through charity work and philanthropy. She started The Mary J. Blige Foundation in 2007 which supports women’s empowerment, education and foster care programs. She holds her annual charity concert called Strength of a Woman Festival to raise money for her foundation.
Mary also uses her celebrity platform to help various organizations. She has been involved with charities supporting HIV/AIDS prevention, disaster relief, domestic abuse shelters and youth mentorship. When Mary has free time, she loves volunteering at local women’s shelters and foster care centers. She also enjoys doing surprise pop-up performances and donations for charity fundraisers. Her generous spirit and desire to lift others up is truly admirable.
Quality Time with Herself
Lastly, Mary values her alone time to recharge and engage in self-care. She loves lighting candles and incense and soaking in bubble baths after long days. Getting lost in a good book or magazine is another favorite solo activity. She also enjoys journaling and writing in her diary which is great therapy.
Sipping tea on her patio while listening to music is how Mary decompresses. She tunes the world out with noise cancelling headphones for meditation and reflection. Traveling solo sometimes brings Mary joy and new perspectives. No matter how busy life gets, she knows the importance of alone time. Mary is an inspiration for living your passions while also nurturing your spirit.
Conclusion
Mary J. Blige has shown she can balance superstardom with quality time for her loved ones, hobbies, charity work and self-care. She never loses sight of her blessings. Even with all her success, Mary stays true to her roots and family values. She enjoys life’s simple pleasures just as much as her glamorous celebrity lifestyle. Mary’s ability to spread her light everywhere she goes with such grace and humility is what makes her one of the greatest. Her beautiful heart shines through in everything she does, and that is why she will always be the Queen.
