The London Sessions
Mary J. Blige doesn’t fear new challenges. Over two decades, the GRAMMY®-winning R&B icon has shown herself to be a skilled collaborator who’s worked with artists and producers as disparate as Sean “Puffy” Combs, Chaka Khan, and Sting. For *The London Sessions*, Blige traveled to the U.K.\'s capital city in search of inspiration. What she found was a team of exciting young artists with roots in London’s vibrant dance music community. Written with and produced by the likes of Sam Smith, Disclosure, Jimmy Napes, Naughty Boy, and Emeli Sandé, the resulting album is one of Blige’s bravest and most refreshing releases to date.
The R&B legend's new album features collaborations with Disclosure as well as British pop figures like Sam Smith, Naughty Boy, and "Latch" songwriter Jimmy Napes. But the young producers are shown up by old heads Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and UK garage forefather MJ Cole.
The London Sessions just happens to have her best round of songs, productions, and performances since The Breakthrough, the 2005 album Smith references in one of several unnecessary testimonials and interview snippets placed throughout the sequence of songs.
For someone historically known as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul," Mary J. Blige's more successful albums have always captured emotional distress stemming from whatever drama she was enduring in her life at the time.
The American soul diva delivers a charmed collaboration with the best of British, writes <strong>Ally Carnwath</strong>
The London Sessions announces itself in its very title as a jaunt outside of Blige’s comfort zone.
Recording with everyone from Emeli Sandé to Sam Smith, the American R&B star chases the sound of young London on her latest album, writes <strong>Tim Jonze</strong>
The nine-time Grammy award winner's latest is as much a triumph for Britain as it is for her, says Neil McCormick