R&B legend devastates fans by announcing early retirement in ‘5 or 6 years’-Rishma Dosani-Entertainment – Metro

Mary J Blige revealed her plans to retire from music soon (Picture: Getty)

Mary J Blige has confirmed that she plans to officially retire from music in the next few years.

The 53-year-old has been in the industry for more than 35 years and earned the title queen of Hip-Hop Soul thanks to songs including Family Drama, Just Fine and Be Without You.

Who could forget her award-winning Super Bowl Halftime show performance in 2022, alongside Dr Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg?

Thanks to her incredible success, she will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later this year, alongside Cher and Ozzy Osbourne.

But, in a new interview with Extra, she revealed that she has set her sights on stepping back from the microphone for good.

‘Right now, I’m definitely going to do some more acting and I’m definitely going to retire [from music] in five or six years,’ she told Extra.

The singer has been performing for decades (Picture: Getty)

‘I’m still doing what I’m doing but not as often as I was doing it because I don’t have to now.’

‘At this very moment, with this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, it is the most amazing thing,’ she added of her upcoming induction into the Hall of Fame.

‘It is in a class by itself.’

Mary signed her first record deal with Uptown in 1988 and blessed us with her debut album, What’s The 411? four years later.

She is set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year (Picture: FilmMagic)

She followed this up with My Life, Share My World, Mary and No More Drama.

Throughout her career, she has received 38 Grammy nominations and nine wins, including best R&B album for The Breakthrough, and best R&B song for Be Without You.

Mary’s latest album came in 2022 with the release of Good Morning Gorgeous, which racked up two Grammy nominations.

She has also enjoyed a hugely successful stint in front of the camera thanks to roles in The Umbrella Academy, Bower Book II: Ghost, How To Get Away With Murder and Empire.

Her part as Florence Jackson in 2017’s Mudbound was met with critical acclaim, earning her an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress, as well as a Golden Globe nod in the same category.

Despite being in the spotlight for decades, she is set to add another title to her name later this year, as she is inducted into the Hall of Fame.

As well as this, Mary is due to perform at the ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 19.

Appearing on the Tamron Hall Show, she said of the achievement: ‘I’m still trying to process this whole thing. It’s a big deal and I’m just so grateful because I know it didn’t have to be this way, but it is this way.

‘I give all the credit to God because I don’t even know what else to do with it. It’s just so humbling. What am I supposed to do, bust through the roof? I don’t know what to do except be grateful and be thankful.

‘I got the news from people in my camp and I was grateful for the nomination because I was next to Cher, Mariah Carey and Sade, all of these amazing women.’

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