Over the course of her career, Blige became a symbol of female empowerment and perseverance, but on My Life, she lay her soul bare to brilliant ends. Last December, Amazon Studios announced that an as-yet-untitled Blige documentary is in production, helmed by Sean “Diddy” Combs. She would go on release 11 more studio albums, start her own film production company and earn an Oscar nomination. With My Life, Blige established herself an unrivaled voice in R&B. With Blige taking the songwriting reins, My Life remains her most revelatory and creatively vital work to date.Įarning an award for Top R&B Album at the 1995 Billboard Music Awards, as well as a Grammy nomination for Best R&B album in 1996, My Life stands alone as an unflinching document of Blige as she struggled to see light in the darkness.
She completely owns Rose Royce’s 1976 soul classic “I’m Going Down,” and her promise of happiness amid the drama still rings true on the exuberant “You Bring Me Joy.” Blige flexed her encyclopedic knowledge of soul by sampling Roy Ayers (“My Life”), Curtis Mayfield (“I’m The Only Woman”), Isaac Hayes (“I Love You”) and Barry White (“You Bring Me Joy”).Įven 25 years later, Blige’s bristling delivery on My Life still sounds raw. With Bad Boy’s hitmaker Chucky Thompson and Price Charles Alexander at the boards, My Life blended street-savvy R&B with quiet storm ballads.
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