At 54, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige, remains as stunning and commanding as ever. Her presence at Chicago’s United Center on March 14 for her Mary J. Blige, For My Fans Tour, was legendary, with thousands of devoted fans packing the sold-out arena to honor her legacy.
The night started with R&B heartthrob Mario, who set the tone with a high-energy performance. Ne-Yo followed him, whose name has been making headlines lately due to his personal life—dating three women simultaneously. When it comes to the stage, Ne-Yo never disappoints. His vocals were crisp, his choreography tight, and his mix of smooth ballads and uptempo hits kept the audience engaged from start to finish.
Then, the moment everyone had been waiting for—Mary. She opened her set on a smaller stage at the back of the arena, delivering soul-stirring renditions of “Take Me As I Am” and “A Dream.” Fans who paid extra for premium seats in that intimate section got a rare up-close experience with the icon before she floated to the main stage.
Mary took her place beneath a glowing crown, doing her signature dance while the crowd chanted, “Go Mary, go Mary.” She glided effortlessly through classics like Love No Limit, Mary Jane (All Night Long), and You Remind Me—the “aunties” showed-up-and-showed-out in their thigh-high boots and designer clothing to celebrate their queen.
Rolling out caught up with concertgoer Anna Wheat to ask why Mary remains such a powerful force in music. “Mary is great because she is passionate about what she sings about. She touches our hearts and souls because her pain has been our pain; her joy has been ours! She gets us,” said Wheat.
After more than 30 years in the game, Mary doesn’t have to sing every note (even though she sounds fantastic)—her stellar background vocalists handle much of the heavy lifting, and the fans gladly fill in the gaps. But her energy, presence, and unwavering resilience genuinely make the show. To perform at this level for this long while being true to herself, offering no apologies is a testament to why she is still, and will always be, the Queen of Hip Hop Soul.
Setlist
United Center, March 14, 2025
“Take Me As I Am”
“A Dream“
“Love No Limit”
“Mary Jane (All Night Long)“
“You Remind Me“
“Need You More“
“Love Is All We Need“
“Still Believe in Love“
“You Ain’t the Only One“
“Everyday It Rains“
“I Love You”
“Be Happy“
“Be Without You“
“Mary’s Joint“
“Here I Am“
“Don’t [Expletive] Up“
“Sweet Thing“ (Rufus and Chaka Khan cover)
“Good Morning Gorgeous“
“Everything“
“I’m Goin’ Down“ (Rose Royce cover)
“Not Gon‘ Cry“
“Share My World“
“My Life“
“No More Drama“
“Enough Cryin“
“The One“
“I Can Love You“
“You Bring Me Joy“
“Just Fine”
“MJB da MVP“
“Family Affair”
Check out a these photos from the concert.
