As hard as it is to believe, even the most talented and successful of musicians have a hard time living up to exaggerated standards.

Mary J. Blige recently appeared on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna for a deep, enlightening, and pretty tender conversation about her life, career, and growth. Of course, they had a lot of great things to talk about concerning her artistry and her many accolades and successful ventures over the years. But even the most acclaimed and commercially dominant artists can struggle with reckoning with the exaggerated expectations that others, or themselves, set upon them. Moreover, the “Real Love” legend spoke to the program about how she didn’t like her voice before, and how she’s struggled with self-image throughout her life and continues to embrace herself today.

“I do now, I didn’t used to. I didn’t like the sound of my voice,” Mary J. Blige told the panel during her recent appearance on national television. “But now I listen to my music and now I love everything about me, I do. I used to hate everything about me. The sound of my voice, the sound of my speaking voice. And I used to just be afraid to hear any music back. We grow up thinking we couldn’t boast or brag or love on ourselves, and now I’m doing all that.”

Mary J. Blige Speaks On Self-Love & Self-Image On TODAY

Elsewhere, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul also spoke on her current stance on love and partnership. “I still believe in love… I’m not gonna give up on love, I’m not gonna give up on romance, I’m not gonna give up on myself,” Mary J. Blige remarked. “I’m not gonna do that. I’m in love. I believe I deserve a good relationship with myself, with a partner. And you know, when you believe it, it comes to you.”

Meanwhile, we’re sure that the future will hold many, many more opportunities for celebration and due acclaim. After all, she is one of the nominees for the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and with more performances, music, and career moves on the way, it’s clear that she’s still enjoying that process. But all of that is moot if one doesn’t have the confidence in themselves that others have for them, and it’s heartening to see that this is a path that continues to grow. For more news and the latest updates on Mary J. Blige, stay logged into HNHH.