If you haven’t been introduced to Mary J. Blige’s ‘The London Sessions’ album co-written with Sam Smith, “Doubt” is a great introduction to the project. Granted all of the songs have a British element to them, they’re also packaged with Blige’s signature soul vocals – partly due to the production marriage between Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and recent Roc Nation signee Sam Romans. On “Doubt”, Blige paints a powerful picture of what it means to be fully confident in oneself. While the verses discuss the ways in which Mary was dragged down from her dreams and aspirations, the chorus suggests a feeling of triumph as she sings “I made it to the end, I nearly paid the cost”. As great as the song is, I wish that the video fared down the same path. Donning a set that looks strikingly similar (and cliché) to Beyonce’s “Listen”, Mary sings the single’s powerful words to an empty theater. Unlike the album’s previous video treatment for “Whole Damn Year”, “Doubt” takes the simplistic easy route. But the impact that “Doubt” has as inspiration for reaching one’s goals makes for one of Mary’s single best releases to date. Watch and download Mary J. Blige’s “Doubt” video below.

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