It wasn’t just a concert; it was a moment. Shared between generations of Black women, it was wrapped in lyrics that hit different now that you’re older, wiser, and still growing. On April 11th, I went to see Mary J. Blige concert at UBS Arena with my mom and sisters. And I walked out, reminded of who I am, who we are, and how powerful it is when we take up space together.
When Getting Ready is Half the Fun
For over a week, my sisters and I watched the weather, trying to figure out what to wear. Unfortunately, a 40-degree rainy forecast wasn’t exactly what I had in mind for my Mary moment. But if you know anything about seeing the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul live, you know one thing is non-negotiable: the boots.
Mary is always in a pair of fly thigh-high or over-the-knee boots, and I wasn’t about to show up any different. I have this pair of military over-the-knee boots my husband gifted me a few years back (yes, he knows me well), and I envisioned them with fatigue shorts, a blazer, and a cute shirt.
Small problem: I didn’t have the shorts. So I placed my first-ever Fashion Nova order, cutting it dangerously close to concert day. The site said my order would arrive on April 14th—three days AFTER the concert—but the universe conspired in my favor, and they arrived just hours before I started getting ready.
Related: iLive Soundbar Review: Concert Sound at Home
My veteran readers know I was a makeup artist, and my sisters always take full advantage. Two of them got ready at my house, turned my bedroom into a glam room, and let me work my magic on their faces. Between outfit changes, makeup application, and hyping each other up with Mary’s classics blasting, the pre-show ritual became its own kind of luxury; the kind that money can’t buy but sisterhood guarantees.
The Energy Was Undeniable
When we arrived at UBS Arena, it was PACKED. I even texted my husband to tell him how completely sold out it was. Mary’s draw is undeniable, and seeing so many Black women of different ages coming together filled me with a specific kind of pride.
Every performance had the crowd singing along word for word. My 78-year-old mom was right beside us, vibing just as hard as my sisters and I were. The only disappointment? Finding out that the night before, during her Madison Square Garden show, Method Man and Lil’ Kim made surprise appearances!
I was especially crushed about missing Lil’ Kim; her verse on “I Can Love You” was absolutely my JAM back in the day. There’s something about that track that still gets me every time. All my sisters collectively sighed about missing Mr. Smith, too. I mean, can you blame us?
The Gift That Kept Giving
This night was extra special because the tickets themselves were our Christmas gift to Mom. When brainstorming what to get her last December, we realized experiences would mean more than things. Seeing her face light up on Christmas when she opened our card with the concert details inside confirmed we’d made the right choice.
What started as a holiday gift transformed into something much more meaningful: a memory that will outlast any physical present we could have given her. Sometimes the best luxury isn’t something you can wrap, but something you experience together.
When You’ve Lived Through the Lyrics
Something shifts when you’ve grown up with an artist. Mary’s catalog has been the soundtrack to different phases of my life, but experiencing her live at this stage of my journey hit completely different.
For the strong Black woman constantly keeping it all together, “No More Drama” isn’t just a song, it’s permission to choose peace over chaos (which, if I’m honest, is the entire foundation of my pursuit of luxury and serenity). “Just Fine” isn’t just a feel-good bop; it’s the anthem playing in my head when I’m thriving in Aruba or exploring Mexico City, feeling myself and my accomplishments.
And “My Life”? That reflective, healing ballad resonates with all the self-work I’ve done over the years, the journey I document through my blog, and the quiet moments when I’m journaling through whatever life is throwing my way.
When Mary performed songs about love and partnership, I found myself thinking about my own marriage and appreciating the evolution of how Black women experience love. From “Everything” with its ride-or-die energy to “Be Without You,” which speaks to the strength of long-term commitment, these weren’t just songs anymore; they were mirrors reflecting my own experiences.
Beauty in the Bump: Finding Myself in Unexpected Moments
If you’ve been following Beauty and the Bump NYC for a while, you know that “the bump” isn’t just about motherhood anymore for me; it’s about the journey itself, the unexpected moments that shape us, and finding beauty in the unplanned detours.
This concert was exactly that kind of “bump.” Amid busy schedules, work deadlines, and the everyday chaos of raising my girls, this night offered an unforeseen moment of clarity. Standing there in my hard-won Fashion Nova shorts and beloved boots, I reconnected with parts of myself I sometimes lose sight of in the daily grind.
The beauty wasn’t just in Mary’s flawless performance or our coordinated outfits, it was in the spontaneous dance breaks with my sisters, the way my mom’s eyes lit up during her favorite songs, and how for a few hours, we were simply women enjoying music together, not defined by our roles as mothers, daughters, professionals, or caretakers.
That’s the true luxury I’m always chasing and sharing on this platform: those authentic moments where you feel wholly yourself while still being connected to the people who matter most. Sometimes you find those moments on a carefully planned trip, and sometimes you find them in a packed arena, singing along to songs that have carried you through decades.
More Than Music: A Multi-Generational Moment
What made this night truly special wasn’t just Mary, it was watching my mom sing beside me. At 78, she carries decades of her own stories in her voice when she sings along. My sisters and I exchanged knowing glances throughout the night, silently acknowledging how precious these moments are.
The reality that our mom won’t be here forever isn’t lost on us. Seeing her enjoy herself, watching her connect with another concert-goer (a woman in silver who perfectly complemented my mom’s all-gold outfit), and making plans to meet up later, these are the moments that matter more than any luxury vacation or boutique hotel stay ever could.
Why Black Women Taking a Night Off Matters
As Black women, we often carry so much: our families, careers, and communities. That’s why nights like these are essential. They’re not “just” entertainment; they’re a form of release and reconnection that’s vital to our well-being.
Standing in a crowd of Black women spanning multiple generations, all singing Mary’s liberation anthems at the top of our lungs, is its own form of therapy. It’s self-care, celebration, and sisterhood wrapped into one. It reminds us that we deserve to take up space, feel joy collectively, and hand down musical traditions from mother to daughter.
What I’m Holding Onto
I left UBS Arena with more than concert memories. I walked away with a renewed sense of self, reminded of the woman I’ve been, the woman I am, and the woman I’m still becoming.
Music has always been a powerful tool for identity and healing in Black culture, and experiencing it across generations, with my mother and sisters by my side, reinforced how these shared cultural moments strengthen our bonds.
As we returned to our everyday lives—me to my blog writing and family responsibilities, my sisters to their worlds, my mom to her routines—we carried a little more Mary energy with us; a little more resilience, a little more joy. And isn’t that what the best travel experiences do? They don’t just change your location; they shift something inside you.
What about you? Have you ever gone to a concert and walked out changed? Tell me your Mary moment—real or metaphorical—in the comments below.
Looking for more luxury experiences that feed your soul? Check out my travel essentials that make every getaway more meaningful, or browse my most recent post on the importance of rest while on vacation.