Mary J. Blige has admitted that she was in a “dark place” before releasing her album “My Life.”

The R&B star reflected on how her 1994 album “My Life,” which featured songs like “Be Happy” and “Mary Jane,” changed her career and life.

“This album is so important because it was such a pivotal moment for me when I had to make a decision,” Blige said in a recent interview with Billboard. “I was in a dark place where I didn’t want to be, and I was begging people to love me and stay with me. Now I’m not begging anyone to love me and stay with me.”

The music icon explained that she has since learned to “love” herself.

“I love myself. I found my true love. My true love is myself,” she said. “That’s why when it was time for me to choose the album My Life, I chose my life.”

The 53-year-old continued: “I chose my life and my fans when it was time to make this change because I didn’t want to kill myself and take half of my fan base with me. That didn’t seem right. I’ve always had a conscious and spiritual foundation. That was the reason for my decision.”

Blige’s career has continued to soar since the release of My Life. She has won a total of 88 awards for her music and acting, including nine Grammys.

Earlier this year, it was also announced that the singer had been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.