"Strength of a Woman": Love Equals One Mary J. Blige Essay

Music is an art and can be used to either influence the community negatively or positively. It offers a combination of sound combinations that create a rhythm and harmony that creates an avenue for expressing the current issues that affect the society. Mary J. Blige is a musician who has throughout her time in the music industry has been able to articulate various themes such as love and disappointment through the lyrics (Kellman). The latest album, "Strength of A Woman" has been topping the global charts and receiving overwhelming support from all corners of the world. Mary J. Blige uses the album to talk about love which she utilizes her personal experience and after going through a divorce process from her 12-year husband. She uses the album to express the need for self-love as a source of happiness, freedom, and strength.

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In her song "Love Yourself," Mary J. Bridge outlines the importance of self-love as a method of attaining freedom and strength. Mary suggests that self-love has been the motivation and the driving factor that has enabled her to conquer the hard trials she has experienced. In the introduction of the song, she says that she has been through fires and valleys and her strong love, she was able to save herself (Gill). She also states that they wanted to put her life on hold, but they did not realize that she knew herself too much even to fold dark clouds. These lyrics are descriptions of the life Mary had experience through her love life, where she was surprised to be served with divorce papers from her perceived "loving husband." The message is summarized in the chorus where she states that one ought to love him/herself for one to be with someone else. Hence, the song highlights the necessity of self-love in establishing freedom and strength.

Mary J. Blige suggests that self-love is a drive to acceptance and redemption. Through her song U + Me (Love Lesson), she utilizes her lyrics to express the hard struggle she had gone through, which tends to target her husband, Kendu Isaacs. However, Mary outlines how her love for self helped her to accept the lies she was holding on in her relationship. It was also through self-love that she was able to redeem herself and start a new life (Kellman). In the first verse, Mary states that she had been crazy thinking that her husband loved her and ignored all the signs of betrayal to hold on. This indicates her first denial of the possibility of betrayal from him, without noticing his intentions. Additionally, she suggests that her love has made herself strong, and each moment she thinks of the lies expressed by her husband, they make her feel good she left for her to attain redemption.

Moreover, through the song "Strength of a Woman," Mary suggested that love for oneself has been on the forefront of empowering women to achieve the impossible. Mary J. Blige on her lyrics suggests that women are motivated to ask for their equal share, chances and be listened to by the major stakeholders (Gill). She also indicates the importance and the potential of a confident woman. The chorus suggests that a woman can be a support and a compliment if she is allowed to be a "woman." She says that she can be a rock and a pill for the sleep. All these will be attained once she is shown, love. Hence, it is clear that self-love and the love expressed from the external stakeholders empowers the women to withstand any storm subjected to them. This theme is affirmed by the song "Find the Love," which encourages her to find love, which reveals the best side of two lovers. In her chorus, she repeatedly emphasizes on finding the love, and in the second verse, she outlines how it assists the lovers to live or attain their wildest dreams. She suggests that with love, all limits are eliminated (Gill). Hence, regardless of temptations and tribulations of the daily life, Mary suggests that the power of self-love and love for one another enables individuals to go far and counter all the challenges. Through her two songs, Mary J. Bridge has been able to express the importance and strength of self-love combined with the love for one another.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Mary J. Blige has used her album "Strength of A Woman" to express the need for self-love as a source of happiness, freedom, and strength. Mary J. Bridge outlines the importance of self-love as a method of attaining freedom and strength in her song "Love Yourself." She achieves this by outlining how self-love acted as the main motivation and the driving factor that has enabled her to conquer the hard trials she has experienced (Kellman). She further suggests that self-love is a drive to acceptance and redemption by expressing how she was able to accept the lies and deceptions by her husband. She also moved on and redeemed her life. Finally, she expresses that love for oneself has been on the forefront of empowering women to achieve the impossible. She utilizes her two songs; "Strength of a Woman" and "Find the Love," to show how self-love and love for one another are essential in empowering women and their partners to withstand any storm subjected to them.

Works Cited

Gill, Andy. "Album reviews: Kasabian, Blondie, Mary J Blige, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds" The Independent. 2017. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-reviews-kasabian-for-crying-out-loud-blondie-mary-j-blige-nick-cave-juan-molina-juliet-fraser-a7715966.html. Accessed 20 Apr 2018.

Kellman, Andy. "Strength of a Woman - Mary J. Blige - Songs, Reviews, Credits" All Music 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/album/strength-of-a-woman-mw0003035475. Accessed 20 Apr 2018.