Mary J. Blige London album

THE QUEEN (OF HIP-HOP SOUL) IN ENGLAND: Mary J. Blige will head to the U.K. to record an album bearing the working title The London Sessions, with Naughty Boy overseeing the project. Word is that a who’s who of the U.K.’s finest new writers, producers and neo-soul singers will be involved, though no specific names have yet been revealed. It’s unclear at this point what U.K. and U.S. labels will be releasing the album, but given the fact that Blige has spent her entire career at UMG—starting with her mega-selling debut LP, 1992’s What’s the 411?, originally released on Uptown/MCA—it would appear that a Universal label or labels will be involved. The most recent release from Blige, who is still managed by her husband, Kendu Isaacs, was the David Foster-produced A Mary Christmas, on Verve, which sold around 500k during its initial seasonal outing in 2013. Her last proper album, 2011’s My Life II... The Journey Continues (Act 1), was released on Matriarch/Geffen and went on to sell north of 800k. Here are Mary J. and Sam Smith dueting elegantly on his “Stay With Me” recently at the Apollo. Can we get a witness? (7/8a)