Mary J Blige “felt a connection” to Amy Winehouse.
Blige felt drawn to the singer’s life and music despite never meeting the late star before she died from alcohol poisoning in July 2011.
Mary, 43, hailed Amy a “rare” talent and said she had developed a deep respect for the singer who died at the age of 27.
In an interview with Stylist magazine, she said: “I never met Amy so I never got the chance to tell her how much I loved and respected her. I was really rooting for her and wished her well: I was a huge fan. I felt a connection to her lyrics and to her life. She spoke the truth from a place of, ‘I need help but I’m also trying to enjoy my life’.”