Mary J. Blige Opens Up About Sam Smith, Making a Documentary – and Getting Into Acting
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Update: In September 2019, Sam Smith announced that they use they/them pronouns. This content was written in April 2015 before Smith publicly announced their pronouns.
While recording her smash 13th studio album, The London Session, R&B vet Mary J. Blige allowed cameras in the studio as she recorded with industry heavyweights including Sam Smith, Disclosure and Darkchild.
The result? Mary J. Blige: The London Sessions, her documentary that appealed to critics and the public alike at its Tribeca Film Festival premiere Wednesday in N.Y.C.
We sat down with the Grammy-winning artist Thursday at her Tribeca Film Festival press day, where she dished on Smith (whom she calls “my little brother”), making a foray into acting and finding her “happy place” after years of addiction and abuse.
Why did you let cameras follow you into the studio?
Well, for the last 15 years that I’ve been doing this, my fans have always known what was going on, and so to do something so different and not bring them on the journey with me is why I wanted to document it. I needed them to connect with the project because this is way left for them. I needed people to see, to come in with me.
Did you have any hesitations sharing these intimate recording sessions?
Yeah, it wasn’t even my idea to document it. It was just something that came from the powers that be as a part of the project. I automatically said, “I don’t know.” Then I said, “I have to do it. I have to do it because then my fans will understand.” That’s why I did it. And we didn’t even know [the cameraman] was there half the time.
Your songs are so personal, emotional, honest – is it hard going into the studio and reliving the darker times?
It’s not hard because you’re releasing it, and you’re showing your way out, and you’re showing people that there is a way out for you. So the hard part is going through it, but going to the studio and singing a song like “Doubt” or singing a song like “Not Loving You” is like (sighs), “Thank God!” You get it out of you, ya know?
The sound was very different from what you’ve done in the past, and you worked with some incredible songwriters and producers. We have to talk about Sam Smith.
Sam is just too much fun, and I love him because he’s just so vulnerable, and he lets you in, and he’s just, he’s really an amazing person – such a good heart. And I love the chemistry that we have. We kind of remind each other of each other. He says it all the time. You know, I was like, “Sam, you’re like my little brother!” (laughs)
You and Sam have a version of ”Stay with Me” together – do you remember the first time you heard it?
The first time I ever heard Sam’s voice was on “Latch,” and my limousine driver I didn’t know what other songs Disclosure had out, so I said, “Play me some Disclosure songs.” And he played “Latch.” That voice came up, with the “youuuuu.” Like, who is this, and where did he come from? Amazing. I was a fan. I didn’t even think I was going to meet him, and then I met him. Disclosure and I did Terminal 5 here [in New York], and Sam was at the show, and I met him that night. I could hear him in the other dressing room practicing “Latch,” and I was like, “I wanna go over there!” (laughs) I was like, “You need to stop being a groupie!” And then I met him. And then I was working with Darkchild, Rodney Jerkins, and he played me “Stay.” After he played “Stay,” he was like, “Mary, I need you to go in and be on this remix.” I was like, “Yes!” I was speechless. Everything about the song just stops you in your tracks, and the rest is history.
In the documentary, you talk about being at the happiest place in your life. What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is to be able to express myself. And when I’m in the studio and doing a project like that and just getting all that stuff out of me, that’s a happy place because you’re being delivered and released from so much. And last night [at the premiere, where she performed] was a happy place because I get to do it with you [fans], in front of you [fans], and we get to do it together. That’s the happiest place in life.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about you, for people who haven’t seen the film?
So many people think I’m this really mean person and that I don’t have a sense of humor and that I don’t laugh and I’m not silly and goofy (laughs). Well, I am. And I’m human. They think I’m this strong That’s not strong, it’s weak when you don’t have a sense of humor, and you can’t laugh at yourself, so yeah, that’s been a lot of it.
What’s next for you? More recording? Writing?
What’s next is I’m going to go after this acting thing; I’m gonna go hard after that. In the midst of this London Sessions thing, right now I’m reading and studying acting. I’m gonna do drama. That’s first on my list – and surprise people with comedy, a little later. Right now I m gonna go after the drama.
Will we see you on Empire again?
I did a little cameo. It wasn’t much, but I would definitely go back for a whole arc of it.