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Mary J. Blige Know how to show gratitude to those who mean the most to her.
In September 2024, the music icon announced that she would go into her For my fans’ tour 2025 to support their 15th studio album, GratitudeLike showing her thanks to the family, friends and fans who have supported her for three decades of success.
Of course, 40-day tour – who started in January in North Carolina and cover in April in Miami – would require the best of the best crew, and that includes makeup artist Merrell Hollis.
PRO behind the makeup and maintenance for some of the biggest names in entertainment, has worked with Blige in “about six or seven years” which he tells people between Tour stops.
“I first started working with her on her hits series Power Book II: Ghost. I did a season of it and then she asked me to go on vacation with her and then we have worked together since then, ”explains the pros.” It has been a happy and fulfilling ride. I couldn’t have asked for a better mouse. ”
During that time, Hollis 2024 created Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductor’s makeup for his good Morning Gorgeous Tour, and now they are back on the road together for her fans.
For this tour, “I wanted to go a glazed but natural look. I wanted to use less color and show off her beauty,” explains Hollis.
PRO also wanted to “go back to her roots, where she began. These appearance is very similar to the 90s Mary. I loved her makeup then, especially for 411 album. And the 90’s makeup, it’s my controlhouse – the overinated lips with dark lining, the light smoky eye – I like to live in that era for this tour. ”
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The perfect professional, Hollis takes careful and regular inventory of his kit. “Organize and restore my fungi, makeup dry, brushes, cleaners and alcohol to ensure that we have a clean -up work space and tools are first and foremost,” he says.
“I also want my kit to be as organized and stored as possible to make it easy so all I have to do is loosen and unpack the things I need.”
Changes to Blige’s look throughout the tour keeps the pros on the toes. “Collaborating with the wardrobe stylist and hairdresser and coming up with a concept for the next city is crucial to my prep.”
And places provide lots of inspiration. “It is very exciting to go to different cities because each one has their own aesthetics when it comes to makeup, and I love to record it and showcase Maria’s versatility. So if we are in Miami, maybe it’s more sexy and dewy, and if we are in New York, maybe it is more structured and maybe it is sharp lines.
The Forever Fan says it is “impossible” to choose a favorite from the Grammy-winning artist’s songs “because her entire catalog is so great. All her albums are so iconic and has been the soundtrack in my life in many ways.”
But there are three albums that stand out for special reasons. “Whole 411 The album is so big, I really love that album. “The other two happen to be the albums he has been on tour. Good morning wonderful Album is another of my favorites all the time. And i love this new Gratitude album. MJB is a staple on my gymnastics play lists too safe. ”
Of the pinch-me trip, says Hollis, “Both tours were such an incredible experience. Mary is a fantastic person to travel the world with. The love and support she gets from her fans is inspiring.”
Then one behind the scenes is looking at making the legendary artist for my fans tour Glam.
Meet Merrell Hollis
With the permission of Merrell Hollis
“I Love My job. I love being creative and I can express that side of me with makeup.
I have been doing this for 20+ years and every day I still get excited to make up, so every day I will get a smile on my face and I will get good energy.
I love to be stupid and jokes around but when I go on set or in that glamor it is all business. I want to make sure my client has the best experience and feels good in the skin. ”
A glimpse of his kit
With the permission of Merrell Hollis
“This is pretty much my everyday installation. Sometimes I add some shimmer and metals just for extra drama on my eyes, but these are the basics of what I normally put on her. I know it looks like a lot, but it really is not. I use everything sparingly and very easy. Everything on this table has a purpose.
I love using color corrections so I don’t have to use such full coverage. As we know, brushes are so important and I love to use Mykitco x danessa myricks and Ilia Beauty such. I love using a medley of bronzer and redness. It really warms up the face and helps get that brightness.
It is so important for the face to be multidimensional on the big screen of course when you are in these places you can see her but on the big LED walls that is what I really look at. I want makeup to really speak without being so overwhelming. ”
In his kit: Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Bronzer and SoftSculpt Transforming skin amplifiersPlus Patrick Ta Beauty Major Headlines Double-Take Crème and Powder Blush Duo
Good morning, wonderful
With the permission of Merrell Hollis
“I’m really in love with Maria’s face. She has so many amazing features, it’s a makeup artist’s dream. Her eyes are one of my favorite features. I love playing them.
I also love that she is not afraid of makeup. From the beginning of the time, she has always dared to be expressive through makeup, hair and clothing. She is a trendsetter.
More recently, I love to make a soft cut fold on her eye, make her lid very light so that it opens her eyes even more, and then makes a very smoky corner, sharp feed and defines reduction just a little with a soft brown just to create shape for the eye. Then there is a pure spark that I love from Fenty Beauty which I usually put on her lid that gives them the perfect pop so when she blinks it looks very flirted on stage. ”
In his kit: Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Pallete: The Neutrals and Armani Beauty Eye Tint
About that trout
With the permission of Merrell Hollis
“This is I who work with one of my favorite features with her-Henne’s lips. I overlines her lips to get more of a seductive, pouty look. We always use lipstick-there is something with what just gives a youthful look. I usually top it with shine. I love a glossy lip-it is a stapler in my makeup Estetic.
In his kit: Sephora Collection Colorful 8 Hours Long Clothing Transferral Lip Food and Glossy moisturizing lip gloss
A-list look
With the permission of Merrell Hollis
“This is literally my favorite part of all. I love when I’m done with her face and I give her the mirror just to control her appearance while sitting in my chair. She gives me no direction. I have full reach and it is because of the confidence that we developed with each other from working together for several years.
Mary takes so much care of her skin so I have a fantastic canvas to work with. Throughout our journey together I have opened Mary to many different makeup ideas and we have collaborated on so many looks. I really love that part about our relationship. ”
Ready for her close -up
With the permission of Merrell Hollis
“I pay attention to details because there are huge monitors on each side of the stage that literally zoom into her face. I have no room for wrong.”
Seconds to showtime
With the permission of Merrell Hollis
“Right before we go to the stage I always make a double -tuning to make sure everything is perfect.”
Cameraklara
With the permission of Merrell Hollis
“Although I know that makeup is not moving – it’s not like hair where you know things come in place – I always check the screen just to see where the hotspots are if she sweats so I know exactly what to stir when she comes back from the stage.
You have to be proactive and ready to stir her so that the next time she goes back out of her face looks exactly the same. I literally look at the camera like a hawk. It’s the perfectionist in me. ”
Real love
With the permission of Merrell Hollis
“I think my favorite part of this tour has been the society we have with background singers, the dancers, the drivers, the tour managers – the whole crew. We all have a fantastic time together. I am a single child, so I really love the friendship.
Having a fun night out and discovering new things in each city and visiting some of the landmarks and picking up the city’s unique culture is such a blessing. I’m a food, so I’m always looking for new restaurants.
Even with the tough schedule and the trip, it feels a lot of time as work because of the people I am surrounded by. ”
