Last month, Ella Mai dropped her second studio album, Heart On My Sleeve. The project, consisting of 15 tracks, featured artists like Lucky Daye, Roddy Ricch, and Latto. Aside from those esteemed musicians, another singer showed up on Ella’s album, giving it the commentary that it needed.
At the end of “Sink or Swim” and “Not Another Love Song (Exclusive),” Mary J. Blige used her smooth voice to give advice about love. On “Sink Or Swim,” Blige talked about getting over a heartbreak and not putting all the blame on oneself. “Not Another Love Song” featured her advising Ella to guard her mind and her spirit, as people tend to take and not give.
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In an interview with HipHopDX, the British songstress explained her relationship with the soulful singer. “Mary is one of my all-time favorites,” Ella started, “She’s been a part of my life since I was very, very young.” The 27-year-old reflected on her upbringing, reminiscing how her mother would blast Blige’s music consistently.
This ultimately led to Blige becoming Ella’s inspiration, hence the reason she was so anxious to include her on her newest project. “When I was putting the album together, I wanted somebody else to tell this story for me as opposed to me telling it through the music. I wanted someone to guide me almost, and there’s nobody else I want to guide me if I’m speaking about love,” stated Ella.
It seems as though the feeling between the two talents is mutual. Last month, Blige expressed that she feels like R&B is in good hands. While hosting a festival in Atlanta, the 51-year-old said, “Right now, I love the state of R&B because of people like Ella Mai… Music is just going in the right direction, R&B is back. I remember one time I was worried about R&B, I was like ‘Uh-oh, we’re done.’ But no, the [new] generation has revived us.”
[via]