Grammy-winning powerhouse Mary J. Blige was moved to tears watching a special performance of a medley of her hits by the youth Sing Harlem Choir at Glamour‘s Women of the Year Awards on Tuesday, November 7.
Blige, who was chosen as one of Glamour’s Women of the Year honorees for 2023, stood and clapped, visibly moved by watching the dozens of young people sing and dance to her hits like “Real Love” and “Family Affair.”
“That was amazing,” Blige said to the choir following the performance. “Thank you so much.”
The performance followed a rousing introduction by her friend, actor Taraji P. Henson, who thanked her for providing an inspiration for girls and women like her.
“The first time I heard Mary J. Blige sing…I said, ‘that’s me! That girl is like me. She sounds like me, she is speaking the way my heart speaks.’ I felt seen,” Henson said. “And she wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable. She went ahead and made vulnerability her super power.”
Visibly touched by the tributes, Blige took a second to look around the room and soak it in before beginning to speak.
“I’m speechless tonight,” she later said, shaking her head.
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