The Queen of Hip Hop Soul will become the tenth artist to receive the Icon Award.
Mary J. Blige to receive Icon Award at Billboard Music Awards
Singer-songwriter, Record producer, 9-time Grammy Award-winner and Actress is set to be honored with the Icon Award this year.
Billboard announced on Thursday (April 14), that Mary J. Blige will receive the Icon Award at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, May 15. As a part of the recognition, the recent Super Bowl halftime show performer and ten-time BBMA winner and will perform during the broadcast, which will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and will stream live on Peacock.
Blige has earned four Number Ones and fourteen Top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 album chart. The R&B singer/songwriter also spent six weeks at the pinnacle of the Hot 100 chart with her “Family Affair” single. Plus, she is a 10-time Billboard Music Awards winner.
Mary J. Blige expressed in a statement. “My career has been such an incredible and unexpected journey that has included many turns into avenues I never could have imagined like acting, producing, launching businesses, and now even my own music festival,” Blige continued. “Through it all, I always one way or another gravitated back to my first love, music. To be recognized in this way at this moment, with the Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards, is an incredible honor and one that I am truly humbled by.”
Since the award’s inauguration was established in 2011, Only 10 artists have received the award: Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, Cher, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Garth Brooks, and P!NK.