On Wednesday (March 6), Mary J. Blige announced the 2024 Strength of a Women Festival and Summit, which will officially move from last year's Atlanta location to New York City. In addition to headlining the event, the R&B legend will be joined by Jill Scott, Jadakiss, 50 Cent, Muni Long, Robert Glasper, Lola Brooke, and more. Spread out over three days, attendees will be able to enjoy a wealth of performances, a special brunch, and a comedy show. It all takes place from May 10 to May 12.
"I’m so excited to bring our Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit to my hometown, New York City, a place that has always been a huge source of inspiration for me,” Blige said in a press release. “Having the opportunity to continue to uplift, inspire, and build within my community is the reason I created this festival. I’m so grateful for all the support from our performers, attendees, and of course, our partners Live Nation Urban and Pepsi. Nobody does it like New York, so get ready."
Blige held the first iteration of her Strength of a Woman celebration in 2022. As REVOLT previously reported, the Yonkers talent revealed how the idea for the festival came during "early listening sessions” of her 14th studio album, Good Morning Gorgeous, which involved "family, friends, and women in the industry.”
“Each time, the people in the room would share a story, oftentimes of heartbreak or pain, but they always ended with joy and love, and how their girlfriends, or mom, or sister helped them find their voice and strength,” she explained. “We felt like, after two years of being inside and having to endure so much, this was the type of experience that people, especially women, deserved.”
Good Morning Gorgeous contained 13 songs and collaborations alongside Anderson .Paak, Dave East, DJ Khaled, Fivio Foreign, and Usher. Including its deluxe edition, the gold-certified offering earned six nominations for the 65th annual Grammy Awards, including two for Album of the Year and Best R&B Album.