Mary J. Blige, soul singer, released her 15th studio album, Gratitude, on November 15. Unfortunately, it seems that this album isn't as impressive as her other ones, as fans take to X to discuss the decline in her vocal capabilities.
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People are less disappointed (as it's not a bad album) and more concerned with the singer's voice, with some noticing a distinct change. Some fans can't quite put their finger on it, while others can pinpoint a specific moment where they believe her voice suddenly changed.
One fan reckons she's strained her voice too hard. "She lost her voice during the divorce due to excessive touring. She did, like, 3-4 tours during 2 years, sang live for 2 hours, & overworked her throat," they theorized.
"I don't understand what happened, it's like overnight. Her voice changed. She sounds like a Mary impersonator in recent years. I hate that for her, because we love Mary," another added.
"I love her music. I noticed the decline in her voice with her last 2 albums, but for the most part didn't pay it any mind. This album.... It's almost unlistenable," wrote a third.
This thought isn't universal, however.
Has Mary J. Blige Declined Musically?
Everyone agrees that Mary J. Blige is one of the best R&B singers out there. Whether she still has it, however, is a debated topic.
Most of the comments on her music as of writing are positive, however, countering the early doors gripes.
"That album is crazy literally has no skips. Every track is phenomenal /great production ..keep going Mary J. Blige," one enthusiastically comments.
"Thank you for another masterpiece Mary, you are a legend!" comments another.
"Album is ?! Takes me back to the late 90's," writes one more.
It seems thoughts are divided on whether Blige's voice has suffered over the years.
Blige shared with PEOPLE in April this year that this album may be her final one. She wasn't definite, but it seemed she didn't have immediate plans of recording more music.
What are your thoughts on the album? I personally think it's pretty damn good, although I'm not exactly a long-time listener.
