Mary J. Blige, Still Believe In Love | Song Review 🎵

Despite experiencing the downside of love, Grammy-winning R&B artist Mary J. Blige still believes in love on her single “Still Believe in Love” featuring Vado.

“Well, it’s a whole new day, a whole new wave / Ain’t worried ‘bout nothing.” Woo – that’s right, 🎙 Mary J. Blige! The 🏆 Grammy-winning Queen of Hip-hop soul embraces positivity on her feel-good single, 🎵 “Still Believe In Love”.  Blige taps Harlem rapper 🎙 Vado for the assist, contributing two verses. Vado is  the first voice heard on this exuberant single produced by 🎛 DJ Cassidy and Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman.  Helping to fuel ⛽️ his fire 🔥, as well as Mary’s is a sample –  🎵 “C.O.D. (I’ll Deliver)” courtesy of 🎙 Mtume (1984).  Those old-school, 1980s vibes are fitting for a Queen!

Following a fab verse by Vado (“Was times I would F they minds before I pipe ‘em / Make ‘em feel like the love of my life before I psych ‘em), Mary J. Blige gets to work 💪. As always, she brings the heat vocally.  She’s 52 years young and still on fire 🔥 🔥 🔥! The melodies are tuneful and often, rhythm.  There’s the hip-hop! “I been thinkin’ of the time I wasted / I been lookin’ in all the wrong places for love.” Despite going through a hard time, she exhibits great optimism regarding L-O-V-E ❤️ ❤️ ❤️, specifically in the chorus, which highlights the titular lyric. Even in the third verse, Blige believes in the possibilities of love, but “demand(s) a guy to treat me like the queen that I be.” WORD!  Vado gets an additional verse… or bridge? Regardless how you label the section, his flow remains potent. Most importantly, “Honey, you’re still the baddest.” Indeed, Mary J. Blige is, Vado.  Furthermore, 🎵 “Still Believe In Love” is a pleasant, well-performed and well-produced contemporary R&B joint.

🎙 Mary J. Blige • 🎵 “Still Believe In Love” • 🏷 Beautiful Life Music • 🗓 10.27.23

[📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Beautiful Life Music; OpenClipart-Vectors, PIRO via Pixabay]