LAS VEGAS – The Billboard Music Awards announced Thursday that singer Mary J. Blige will receive the Icon Award at its 2022 awards ceremony scheduled for May.
File photo: Mary J. Blige performs at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on August 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
In a press release, Billboard Music Awards said Blige will also perform at the awards show as part of the event.
The Icon Award has only 10 prior winners, as it was first introduced in 2021. Past recipients include Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion.
Blige has won 10 Billboard Music Awards in her career, Today reported. Those awards include R&B Album of the Year (1995), Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year (2006) and R&B/Hip-Hop Song Airplay of the Year (2006).
“My career has been such an incredible and unexpected journey that has included many turns into avenues I never could have imagined like acting, producing, launching businesses and now even my own music festival,” Blige said in a statement. “Through it all, I always one way or another gravitated back to my first love, music. To be recognized in this way at this moment, with the Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards, is an incredible honor and one that I am truly humbled by.”
In February 2022, Blige performed during the Super Bowl LVI halftime show and released her 14th album, “Good Morning Gorgeous,” UPI reported.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 13: Mary J. Blige performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The 2022 Billboard Music Awards are scheduled for Sunday, May 15, and will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
HOLLYWOOD, CA – MARCH 04: Actor/singer Mary J. Blige performs onstage during the 90th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 13: Mary J. Blige performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 13: Mary J. Blige performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 17: Mary J. Blige performs onstage during the Breast Cancer Research Foundation Hot Pink Gala hosted by Elizabeth Hurley at Park Avenue Armory on May 17, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Breast Cancer Research Foundation)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 01: (L-R) Mary J Blige and Jennifer Lopez perform on stage at the "Chime For Change: The Sound Of Change Live" Concert at Twickenham Stadium on June 1, 2013 in London, England. Chime For Change is a global campaign for girls’ and women’s empowerment founded by Gucci with a founding committee comprised of Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini, Salma Hayek Pinault and Beyonce Knowles-Carter. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Gucci)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 09: Actor Forest Whitaker (L) and singer Mary J. Blige attend the after party for the (Belvedere) RED Pre-Grammys Party with Mary J Blige held at Avalon on February 9, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images For (Belvedere) RED)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 30: Singer Mary J. Blige performs onstage during the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards – Salute To Icons Honoring Doug Morris held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 30, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 06: Singer Mary J. Blige performs during the People’s Choice Awards 2010 held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on January 6, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for PCA)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – OCTOBER 30: Recording artist Mary J. Blige speaks during The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard Film’s TV Music Conference at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 30, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 23: Recording artists Mary J. Blige (L) and Method Man perform onstage at the 2009 VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on September 23, 2009 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 23: Recording artist Mary J. Blige performs onstage at the 2009 VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on September 23, 2009 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 16: Musicians (L-R) Mary J. Blige and Alicia Keys attend the Gucci cocktail party for Ffawn at Gucci Fifth Avenue on September 16, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 08: Singer Mary J. Blige arrives to the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style award held at Beverly Hills City Hall on February 8, 2007 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA – SEPTEMBER 9: Singer Mary J. Blige sings the national anthem with the Boston Pops Orchestra before the NFL opening game between the Indianapolis Colts vs the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on September 9, 2004 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – OCTOBER 14: Singer Mary J. Blige performs at the Playstation 2 And The Hip-Hop Summit Present "Race To The Polls" at Hammerstein Ballroom October 14, 2004 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 28: Mary J. Blige is inducted into the Apollo walk of fame at The Apollo Theater on May 28, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS – OCTOBER 01: Singer Mary J. Blige performs onstage at the Andre Agassi’s 10th Grand Slam for Children press conference at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on October 1, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 20: Mary J. Blige performs onstage at the BET Experience STAPLES Center Concert Sponsored By NISSAN at Staples Center on June 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for BET)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 23: Mary J. Blige performs onstage at the 2019 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 23, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 22: Singer Mary J. Blige performs onstage at the 2009 American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 22, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 16: Recording artist Mary J. Blige performs at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on August 16, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 06: Mary J. Blige attends the 2018 Essence Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 6, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Essence)
NEW ORLEANS – JULY 3: Mary J. Blige performs at the 10th Anniversary Essence Music Festival at the Superdome on July 3, 2004 in New Orleans. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 20: Mary J Blige poses for a picture at the 13th annual Entertainment Tonight Emmy party at Vibiana on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Toby Canham/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – JULY 8: Singer Mary J. Blige attends the John Kerry and John Edwards 2004 Victory Concert on July 8, 2004 at Radio City Music Hall, in New York City. (Photo by Peter Kramer/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 10: Mary J. Blige attends the European premiere of "Rock Of Ages" at Odeon Leicester Square on June 10, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart Wilson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – SEPTEMBER 06: Musician Mary J. Blige performs on stage during the final day of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on September 6, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The DNC, which concludes today, nominated U.S. President Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential candidate. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS – FEBRUARY 18: Singer Mary J. Blige, Kendu Isaacs, rapper Ludacris and musician Prince watch the game during the 2007 NBA All Star Game held at the Thomas & Mack Center on February 18, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 13: (L-R) Executive producer Oprah Winfrey, actress Mariah Carey and singer Mary J. Blige pose at the "Precious: Based On The Novel "Push" By Sapphire" press conference held at the Four Seasons Hotel on September 13, 2009 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
IRVINE, CA – MAY 06: Singer Mary J. Blige performs onstage during 102.7 KIIS-FM’s Wango Tango 2006 concert held at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on May 6, 2006 in Irvine, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 04: Singer Mary J. Blige performs the National Anthem prior to Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 5: Singer Mary J. Blige arrives at the premiere of the HBO original series "ENTOURAGE" on April 05, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD- MAY 24: Recording artist Mary J. Blige attends the American Idol Season 5 Finale at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel on May 24, 2006 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/ Getty Images).
IMOLA, ITALY – JUNE 20: Singer Mary J Blige performs on stage during the final day of the 3-day Heineken Jammin Festival June 20, 2004 in Imola, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Cacace/Getty Images)
CULVER CITY, CA – FEBRUARY 6: Mary J. Blige attends Musicares 2004 Person of the Year Tribute to Sting, February 6, 2003 at Sony Studios in Culver City, California. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
