Mary J. Blige has shared that she once passed on Umbrella, the breakout 2007 single later made famous by Rihanna.
The soul icon explained that the song, which also features Jay Z and was written by him alongside producers Tricky Stewart and Kuk Harrell, with additional input from The Dream, was offered to her first, but she ultimately felt it was not the right fit.
Speaking on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, she reflected, saying: “What stood out to me was the ‘eh eh’ part, and I thought, ‘My fans would lose it if they heard me singing about eh eh eh.’”
Once she eventually heard Rihanna’s finished version, she felt reassured about her choice.
Blige continued: “When I heard Rihanna sing it, I said to myself, ‘That song belongs to her. It was never meant for me.’”
“It slipped past me, but honestly, it was not mine to begin with.”
Upon release, Umbrella reached number one in 19 countries and earned a Grammy Award for Best Rap Sung Collaboration at the 2008 ceremony.
In the United Kingdom, its chart run famously lined up with weeks of heavy rain and flooding, helping it become one of the most frequently played radio songs of the 2000s.
Interestingly, the track was originally written with Britney Spears in mind.
The Dream later discussed its origins during a 2017 appearance on Drink Champs, saying: “That song came from intense pressure at a point in my life.
“I was not struggling financially, but I was driven. I had a career, I was getting paid, and my publishing deal was working. Something clicked. It felt like watching myself step into the room and write it. That record was meant for Britney Spears.”
However, Spears’ team ultimately passed on the song, believing it would not perform strongly on the charts.
Rihanna soon heard about the track and quickly made her move to secure it.
The Dream recalled: “I think Rihanna had heard whispers about the song.
“She was at the Grammys before we had even recorded it. She went up to my manager and said, ‘That is my record.’ When I heard she claimed it like that, I knew she was exactly the artist who should have it.”
MUNA have officially shared full details of their long awaited fourth studio album, Dancing On The Wall, which is scheduled to arrive on May 8.
The news comes with the release of the record’s title track and its accompanying official video, giving fans their first real look at what the trio’s new chapter sounds and feels like.
To mark the occasion, the group are planning a run of intimate underplay performances in Los Angeles, New York and London during release week. It will be a special opportunity to catch MUNA up close before they step back onto larger stages later this year.
Opening up about the project, the band described the title song as a standout moment within their body of work.
They shared: “Dancing On The Wall is possibly our favorite song we’ve made as a band. We think it’s all the best parts of MUNA – it’s coming from a really emotional and lonely place, but the song itself makes us feel powerful and euphoric. It’s written in the moment that the clock strikes midnight at the ball, and you have to give up the fantasy. In this case, it’s the fantasy of loving someone or something that can’t love you back.”
The 13 song album was produced by Naomi McPherson, allowing the band to take full creative ownership of the sound and direction. It is a project that pulls listeners straight to the dancefloor while still keeping its vulnerability front and center.
MUNA, made up of Katie Gavin and Josette Maskin alongside McPherson, have continued to build momentum over the years and were personally chosen by Harry Styles as the opening act for his first solo tour. Since then, they have also performed with Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour, in addition to sharing bills with Lorde, boygenius and Phoebe Bridgers.
Dancing On The Wall follows their 2022 self titled album, which marked their first release as independent artists after signing to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records in 2021.
Fans can stream the title track across all major platforms now. For tickets to MUNA’s upcoming shows, visit laylo.com/whereismuna/m/munatour.
Dancing On The Wall tracklisting:
It Gets So Hot
Dancing On The Wall
Eastside Girls
Wannabeher
On Call
So What
Party’s Over
Big Stick
Mary Jane
Girl’s Girl
…Unless
Why Do I Get A Good Feeling
Buzzkiller
