Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has busy year planned after also signing three-movie deal with Lifetime
Grammy and Emmy Award-winning artist Mary J. Blige announced her first Las Vegas residency alongside news of her continued partnership with Lifetime for a new original film.
Blige will launch “My Life, My Story, The Las Vegas Residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM” on Friday, May 1, 2026. The residency will feature 10 performances over two months, with five in May and five in July. The May dates run from May 1-9, while the July performances span July 10-18.
The Las Vegas residency marks a significant milestone for the artist known as the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul.” Dolby Live at Park MGM has hosted numerous high-profile residencies and is the second-largest theater on the Las Vegas Strip, with a capacity of approximately 5,200 guests. The venue features a specialized curved architectural design intended to amplify sound quality and enhance the concert experience for attendees.
Tickets for the residency will go on sale to the general public on Friday at 10 a.m. PT. Citi and AAdvantage cardmembers will receive early access to a presale beginning Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 10 a.m. The announcement came on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, via Blige’s social media channels and the venue’s official press releases.
The residency announcement arrives as Blige maintains an active touring schedule. She completed The For My Fans Tour in April 2025 after launching in January of that year in Greensboro, North Carolina. The tour featured special guests Ne-Yo and Mario and concluded in Philadelphia. A concert film documenting the tour, titled Mary J. Blige: For My Fans, was released in November 2025 and earned a 95 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Blige partners with Lifetime
Concurrent with the residency announcement, Blige extended her partnership with Lifetime through a new three-picture deal. The first project under this agreement, Mary J. Blige Presents Be Happy, will premiere on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at 8 p.m., as part of the network’s Love of a Lifetime winter slate.
Be Happy features Tisha Campbell, Russell Hornsby, and Mekhi Phifer in starring roles. Campbell portrays Val, a 50-year-old devoted wife and stay-at-home mother. The narrative follows Val as she attempts to reignite the spark in her marriage after her youngest child departs for college. Hornsby plays Ross, Val’s husband, while Phifer portrays Peter Mosley. Zing Ashford appears as Kayla, Val’s pregnant daughter.
The film explores themes of empty-nest syndrome, loneliness, and emotional distance within long-term marriage. Val travels to New Orleans to support her daughter, where she encounters experiences that awaken dormant dreams and passions. The storyline examines questions of personal reinvention, intimacy, and the defining moments of midlife.
Be Happy is named after Blige’s 1994 hit single from her critically acclaimed second studio album, My Life. The song became one of her signature tracks and remains a staple of her live performances.
Gabourey Sidibe to direct
Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe makes her television directorial debut with Be Happy. Sidibe gained widespread recognition for her lead role in the 2009 film Precious and subsequently appeared in Empire and American Horror Story. Cameron J. Ross wrote the screenplay.
The film represents a collaboration between multiple production entities. Blige’s Blue Butterfly Productions serves as the lead production company. Mona Scott-Young produces through Monami Productions. Motion Entertainment and Swirl Films also participate in production. Blige serves as executive producer alongside Bruce Miller and Milana Edwards Brooks as co-producers. Scott-Young and Angela White serve as producers. Nick Roses, Mychael G. Chinn, Stephanie R. Gayle, and Michael Lang executive produce for Monami Productions. Chet Fenster executive produces for Motion Entertainment, while Eric Tomosunas executive produces for Swirl Films.
This marks Blige’s fourth collaboration with Lifetime, in which she adapts her music catalog into original films. Previous projects include Real Love and Strength of a Woman, both released in 2023, and Family Affair, which premiered in 2025. The three films collectively reached more than 6.1 million total viewers on linear television, according to Nielsen ratings data cited by Lifetime.
The new three-picture deal ensures two additional films will follow Be Happy, continuing the partnership between Blige and the network. These future projects will also draw inspiration from Blige’s extensive music catalog spanning more than three decades.
Blige has released 15 studio albums throughout her career, beginning with What’s the 411? in 1992. Her most recent album, Gratitude, arrived in November 2025. She has won nine Grammy Awards, received two Academy Award nominations, and one Golden Globe nomination for her acting work.