Live Review: Mary J Blige

The undisputed Queen Of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J Blige needs no introduction when she graces the Concert Hall with her presence tonight, leading with new single Love Yourself, a feature from her upcoming album Strength Of A Woman. Her voice is big, bold and emotional - exactly what you'd expect from her. Blige came to sing the Opera House down tonight!

You Bring Me Joy and Love Is All We Need spell out a clear message - we are going to be spending some legit time in the '90s with the Queen tonight, celebrating an almost 30-year career. Real Love, Love No Limit, I Can Love You, Sweet Thing, My Life and so many more of Blige's '90s classics get a run and it is so refreshing to hear genuine R&B music in a time where the genre seems to have lost a lot of its authenticity. And that voice. There is a bit more husk to those raw, effortless vocals but Blige's voice is as strong as ever.

The singer spends a great deal of time giving advice to the crowd, particularly speaking to the "strong women" of Sydney, but it's the moments when she touches on the struggles of her own life and the resilience she has shown that segue so perfectly into the music. New song U + Me (Love Lesson) goes down a treat. It's a mid-tempo love ballad about moving on and learning from your past - classic Mary J Blige.

Perhaps the defining moment of the night is her rendition of No More Drama. The 2001 track from the album of the same name is one of the singer's most powerful songs and it translates on another level in concert. Her vocal gymnastics are incredible, although they make it a little hard for those among us who are slightly tone-deaf to sing along - why are you doing this to us, Mary!? Blige finishes with her trademark anthem Family Affair because we are her "family" tonight and there's no need for an encore - she couldn't possibly top that. You brought the family so much joy tonight, Mary.