PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTION
Next Level Events presents nine-time GRAMMY® Award-winner, Golden Globe® Award nominee and multiplatinum R&B legend Mary J. Blige on her highly anticipated North American STRENGTH OF A WOMAN TOUR.



The tour comes on the heels of Blige’s 13th studio album release, STRENGTH OF A WOMAN, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s R&B Album Chart and has received critical praise since its April 28th release on Capitol Records. The New York Times called the album “empowering” in a recent review while the Guardian hailed that “Blige’s vocals alone are a reminder of why she remains so important to the genre”. Featuring production by DJ Camper, Bam, Hit-Boy, and KAYTRANADA, the new release also features collaborations with Quavo (of Migos), DJ Khaled, Missy Elliot and Kanye West who lends vocal support on the album’s latest single “Love Yourself”.



About Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige is an iconic singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist. She has sold over 50 million albums and 25 million singles worldwide, garnered nine GRAMMY® Awards (plus a staggering 32 nominations), a Gold Globe nomination and five American Music Awards. She holds the distinction of being the only artist to have won GRAMMYs® in the R&B, hip-hop, pop, and gospel categories. She is amongst a handful of entertainers to release eight or more multiplatinum albums, with Billboard naming her “the most successful female R&B artist of the past 25 years”.
In the mid 1980s, Stokley became a founding member of what was the genesis of Mint Condition. After several years of gigs and paid dues, a stroke of serendipity saw the the band cross paths with that of lauded multiplatinum producers and hometown heroes Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Fresh off the success of Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 album, the two former members of The Time had just inked a deal with A&M Records to distribute their own label - Perspective Records. Jam & Lewis recruited Mint Condition to their label’s roster and released their debut Meant To Be Mint in 1991. The group soon found success in their now classic single “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes).” The song broke through on the pop and R&B charts, reaching #6 on the Billboard 100 and #3 on the Billboard R&B chart and was eventually certified gold. In 1993, the band released its sophomore effort From The Mint Factory. The lead single “U Send Me Swingin’” hit #2 on the Billboard R&B chart and was a testament to group's intrinsic ability to craft sublime songs that crystalized contemporary R&B sensibilities with a live band aesthetic. Continuing their winning streak, Mint Condition released Definition Of A Band three years later. The album contained the Billboard Top 40 hit
“What Kind Of Man Would I Be,” which was also certified gold. Definition Of A Band would also become the groups first gold certified album. Mint Condition signed with Elektra Records and released their fourth effort, Life’s Aquarium. The album produced yet another Billboard Top 40 hit for the group in the form of “If You Love Me.”

After over two decades as the lead vocalist for the incomparable hit making R&B band Mint Condition, singer and two time Grammy Award nominee Stokley charters a new course with his breathtaking debut solo album Introducing. Featuring guest appearances by the likes of Grammy winning jazz pianist Robert Glasper and Estelle as well as production from multi platinum duo Carvin Haggins & Ivan Barrias (Ledisi, Tamia, Kenny Lattimore), Introducing is a refreshing artistic statement rooted in the soul music tradition from one of R&B’s most remarkable voices.