Mary J Blige To Receive The Icon Award At The BBMAs 2022

The Queen Of Soul Is Getting Her Royal Treatment

The Billboard Music Awards will honor Mary J Blige for her decades-long career in entertainment with the Icon Award at this year's show.

The 10-time BBMA winner will receive the Icon Award this year and will also perform on the show which is set for May 15, 2022, at 8 pm ET /5 pm PT, and will be broadcast live on NBC for the fifth year in a row from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

This year's edition of the BBMAs marks its 21st time emanating from Las Vegas.

Blige is the 11th artist to win the Icon Award, which honors exceptional musicians who have excelled on the Billboard charts and left an enduring influence on music.

Mary J has been dubbed “the Queen of Soul” for good reason. She has been producing groundbreaking music since this award is given to artists who have made a significant influence in the music industry, and it's clear that Mary J Blige has done just that.

The singer, songwriter, and actress's 30-year career in entertainment has resulted in nine Grammy Awards, 31 Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards, and several other accolades. She's also sold more than 50 million albums worldwide throughout her career.

The 51-year-old icon's contributions to R&B and Soul, a genre she helped develop, will be honored with the Icon Award, which honors “the impact an artist has made in the music industry over a period of years.”

The queen of soul reacted to the award, Blige stated: “My career has been such an incredible and unexpected journey that has included many turns into avenues I never could have imagined like acting, producing, launching businesses, and now even my own music festival. Through it all, I always one way or another gravitated back to my first love, music. To be recognized in this way at this moment, with the Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards, is an incredible honor and one that I am truly humbled by.”

Mary J. Blige Is A True Icon Of Soul And R&B

Mary J Blige grew up in the Bronx and started singing gospel music in the church choir at the age of 11. She found her voice on stage, eventually moving to Poughkeepsie, New York to pursue her musical career.

The singer recorded her first album, “What's the 411?” in 1992. The album sold more than three million copies, propelled by hit singles “You Remind Me” and “Real Love.”

Blige's second album, 1994's “My Life,” was even more successful. It topped the Billboard charts and spawned hit singles like “I'm Goin' Down” and “Be Happy.”

Mary J. is also known for her acting roles in films like “The Help”, “Rock of Ages,” and the Oscar-winning film “Mudbound.” Her powerful album, 2017's “Strength of a Woman,” debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart.

In addition to being recognized by fans and critics alike as one of hip-hop's top female vocalists, Blige has also taken home several MTV Video Music Awards throughout her career for Best R&B Video and Best Female Video categories.

On February 11, 2022, Blige released Good Morning Gorgeous, her fourteenth album and first in five years, just days ahead of her appearance at the Super Bowl halftime. Along with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and 50 Cent, she was the only female performer at the halftime show.

The impact Mary J. Blige has had on music is undeniable, and it's why Billboard has chosen to honor her with the Icon Award at this year's Billboard Music Awards.

Blige has had to fight tooth and claw to get where she is today. She had to endure misogyny and colorism during her rise to fame in the early 90s but ultimately proved herself to be one of the most talented—and powerful—artists of all time.