Every artist has their personal strengths and weaknesses, and while that can sometimes lead to uncertainty or even artistic development, other times it can simply lead to appreciation between artists.
Mary J Blige is, by all accounts, an absolute powerhouse of musical talent. She’s often called the “queen of hip hop and soul” because she’s well earned the title. With nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, and ten Billboard Music Awards, she’s sitting pretty as a legend.
And, speaking of legends, even legends have legends of their own—and in this case, I mean that literally. And this is because when Mary J Blige was asked about the song she wished she’d written, she responded by highlighting John Legend.
Specifically, she spoke of ‘Ordinary People’, saying of the song, “It’s the lyrics. ‘We’re just ordinary people / We don’t know which way to go / Maybe we should take it slow’. Like, take it slow, take it easy – that alone just gives me the chills, you know?”
She continues, “Because we are just people and we are very small in the universe. We should stop trying to be so big and take it easy on each other. It’s definitely liberating – it takes a load off. You don’t have to carry so much: the universe is gonna carry it for you.”
It’s an interesting choice, and it definitely fits the bill for her, especially with the musical depth and range. Even if they are different from each other as songwriters, it makes sense that she’d appreciate him as an artist and that he’d probably say similar things of her as a songwriter.
Songwriting is such a unique experience, too, and everyone approaches it with a different school of thought learning from those around you—even those who are younger and newer to the industry—can be a transformative and informative experience.
It sounds like even if it’s just that one song that struck her fancy, there’s still something that everyone can take away from it. Whether it’s the deeper meaning or the musical quality itself, there’s always something to be gained from looking to others you admire.
If you want to take a listen to the song Mary J Blige wishes she’d written, you can find ‘Ordinary People’ by John Legend linked down below.
