Mary J. Blige says a series of ‘near death experiences’ helped her to sort out her life

Singer Mary J. Blige says that a series of 'near death experiences' pulled her back from the brink.

In an emotional and intimate U.S. concert Blige revealed last night how she was forced to 'choose life' after her life spiraled out of control.

The hip-hop soul sensation appeared on the VH1 TV series 'Storytellers,' where she delivered a rousing hour-long performance in front of a crowd at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. In between songs she spoke about her life and how it has influenced her music.

Her most heartfelt performance of the evening came when Blige - who has battled with drug addiction and violent relationships - performed her hit 'No More Drama,' a song the star says is more important to her than any other. "The turn around point in my life came when I said no more drama.

"There was a whole lot of stuff going on before that were near death situations.

"It made me realize, 'If you don't fix your thoughts you are going to die - if you don't get yourself together you are going to die.' It was a choice, I chose life and not death.

She added: "The reason this record is so powerful each and every time is that it is in my DNA not to want this anymore.

"Ever since I was a kid growing up in the projects, there was always something jumping off

"Every time you walked out your building, you had to worry about whether you had to fight somebody who was having a harder time than you in your life, somebody that was just more miserable than you are.

"By the time I was an adult, all of this stuff followed me into my career, that's when I started realising that I was carrying this stuff around and collecting those people who were like me.

"I realised I was my own worst enemy. When I sang that song it felt like everything, every demon from the past was jumping out of me, because I really meant it. No more drama."

Blige went on to say she is now more than happy when she has one or two good days in a week - a feeling she summed up in her performance of 'Just Fine.'

"We really, really wish one day that our entire life could be just fine, but it's not going to happen that way because we're people on planet Earth," she said. "If I have one good day, two good days, I have to really recognize that that day is just fine."

By Eric Munn, Feb 26 2008 © Copyright 2008 - Showbiz Spy