Legendary R&B artist Mary J. Blige will receive the Icon Award at this years Billboard Music Awards ceremony.
The 51-year-old will be the tenth person to receive the award. It recognizes outstanding artists who have achieved excellence on the Billboard Charts and have made an indelible mark on music.
2011 marked the Icon Award's inauguration. Past recipients include Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, Cher, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Garth Brooks and Pink.
The 'Family Affair' singer will also perform live at the ceremony in Las Vegas on May 15.
"My career has been such an incredible and unexpected journey that has included many turns into avenues I never could have imagined like acting, producing, launching businesses and now even my own music festival," said Blige in a statement.
"Through it all, I always one way or another gravitated back to my first love, music. To be recognized in this way at this moment, with the Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards, is an incredible honour and one that I am truly humbled by."
Blige took to the world stage this year by performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. She performed a medley of songs alongside Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.
Her debut album 'What's The 411' gave Blige her first Billboard 200 top ten album, and all of her subsequent studio albums have charted in the top ten on this chart.
'Family Affair', Blige's biggest hit of her career, stayed at no.1 in the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 6 weeks. Altogether, four of her singles have reached top-ten in the Hot 100.
The Billboard Awards 2022 takes place on May 15.
