Thousands of our fans on social media voted in the two-week ballot during Black Music Month which also featured Beyonce, Trey Songz, Usher and Jennifer Hudson. In the end, more than 150, 000 votes later, MJB took top honors thanks to her die-hard fans.
The songstress, who brought the house down at this year’s ESSENCE Music Festival, was humbled to hear of the results. “Wow,” she told ESSENCE.com during EMF. “You know at this point in my life I’m just thankful,” she added. “It didn’t have to be this way, but it is because of the people.”
Listed in ESSENCE.com’s 50 Most Influential R&B Stars of All Time, MJB was equally thankful to the pioneers who came before her. “I wouldn’t be doing any of this if they didn’t show us how to do it and plant something in us that we can give back to the world,” she said.
“To be able to deliver something as effortless as Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle, Anita Baker and Aretha Franklin is everything. Without them there’s nothing. There’s no us.”
Congrats to MJB on her new accolade.
