On Wednesday, Mary J. Blige explained to reporters at a private luncheon for Apple Music why she made the decision to sing to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton when she interviewed Clinton for her new show, “The 411 with Mary J Blige.”
“I’m a singer before I’m a journalist. This journalist stuff is brand new,” she explained.
–Mary J. Blige curses out ‘haters’ criticizing her awkward Hillary Clinton interview
During the interview, Blige began to sing the 2000 Bruce Springsteen song “American Skin (41 Shots),” which is about the killing of Amadou Diallo by New York City police in 1999. “The lyrics impacted me so heavily and deeply, it made me cry,” she explained.
She added that she didn’t warm up but instead simply pressed play on her iPad. “It’s like a prayer that I needed Ms. Clinton to be impacted the same way so the only way I can get that reaction from her is to sing it.”
“The whole interview was felt,” she continued. “I was blown away by how organic and real she was.”
Blige also had warm words for the presidential candidate, saying, “When I met her, she was generally concerned about what I was doing. She hugged me like a grandma — and I needed that hug at the moment.”
She went on to say that she hoped the interview would spur people on to get out the vote. “That’s the whole reason for having Hillary Clinton do an interview with Mary J. Blige because so many people don’t want to vote for either her or Donald,” the singer said. “To have people see Mary J. Blige sit down with Hillary Clinton hopefully could get people to vote ’cause I like Hillary — I don’t give a s–t about who doesn’t like Hillary.”