Mary J. Blige is taking her upcoming tour seriously. She doesn't tolerate any mishap and has fired a team member for leaking part of the setlist.
via: People
In an interview promoting her upcoming Lifetime film Mary J. Blige’s Family Affair, the Grammy-award winning songstress, 54, reveals to PEOPLE she let someone go from her team after part of the setlist for her upcoming For My Fans Tour leaked online last week.
“Yeah, I was pissed, and I fired someone because of it,” Blige confirms.
The reigning Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is embarking upon a 36-city tour this year, kicking off in Greensboro, NC on Jan. 30 and wrapping in Philadelphia, PA on April 17.
Blige has worked hard the past few weeks hashing out the final details for staging and overall production. She considers the setlist the most sacred element, hence her disappointment.
“We worked too hard and the setlist is the most private thing,” she says. “It was unprofessional. Obviously it was somebody within the camp, and they risked their whole life just to get a couple of likes.”
Thankfully, the leak was only a partial one. While fans can expect a bevy of hits and tracks from her latest album Gratitude, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee says there’s so much more in store for her fans.
“Only a little bit got leaked, and that's not even half,” reassures Blige. “People don't even know what else is coming.”
For the tour, Blige is tapping a couple of R&B crooners to join her: Mario, best known for his chart-topping single “Let Me Love You,” and Blige’s longtime collaborator and hitmaker Ne-Yo.
“I love Ne-Yo and Mario and I think those two guys have some of the best love songs of their generation,” says Blige. “Last time, I had Queen Naija and Ella Mai [on the Good Morning Gorgeous Tour.] I love me some Ella Mai, and I love Queen. This time I said, ‘We really need the women to be serenaded this time.’ We really need the women to feel special, and it's time for women to feel special.”
The “You Ain’t The Only One” singer first addressed the setlist leak in an Instagram story post on Jan. 18.
“This kinda hurts and it’s sad to see this leaked,” wrote Blige. “I wanted to surprise my fans with something special. But this doesn’t even scratch the surface of what I have planned.”
Find out more about the For My Fans Tour here.
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