Mary J. Blige may be going through trying times in her private life, but professionally she continues to shine.
Last week saw the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul unleash her latest album ‘Strength Of A Woman.’
The set arrives at a time when MJB’s name has been a firm fixture in the headlines due to her oh so public divorce from former manager Kendu Isaacs.
It would appear that the heightened interest surrounding the drama in her life has positively affected her commercial clout.
For, ‘Strength’ has become her strongest debut on the US Billboard 200 in seven years.
Opening at #3 with 78,000 SPS units (and 72k in traditional album sales), the LP gifts Blige her best placing since ‘Stronger With Each Tear’ debuted and peaked at #2 in 2010.
The project also grants Blige her best sales week since 2011, when ‘My Life II… The Journey Continues (Act 1)’ arrived with 156,000 sold in its first week.
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Kudos to the Queen!
‘Strength’ is a commendable effort with a number of avenues to explore singles wise – especially ‘Glow Up.’