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Mary J. Blige embarks on world tour in February

R&B star Mary J. Blige has announced plans Tuesday for a major tour slated to hit the United States, Japan and Europe.

The jaunt kicks off on Feb. 5 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Blige will perform in North America through March 7. From there, she heads to Japan. The European leg of the tour begins with two April shows in Copenhagen.

Blige spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart with "Family Affair," from her latest album, "No More Drama" (MCA Records). Last week, she was nominated for Grammys in the Best R&B Album ("No More Drama") and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("Family Affair") categories.

Having beaten back her struggles with substance abuse, Blige recently told liveDaily that the optimistic tone of her latest album is in part influenced by her recovery. “Spiritually, I have arrived because I've realized I’ve been my own worst enemy for a long time," she said. "And that’s the thing that hurts us the most. This is why we always point out things in everyone else--because we want someone else to blame for our mess-ups. But I can’t do that anymore."

Blige and pop-salsa star Marc Anthony are scheduled to duet on "America the Beautiful" prior to Super Bowl XXXVI at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 3. The Boston Pops and America's Heroes Chorus--a collection of policemen, postal workers, firefighters and members of the five branches of the military from the Louisiana area--will back Blige and Anthony.

Blige performed with Britney Spears, Nelly, Aerosmith and 'NSync during the Super Bowl XXV Halftime Show last year in Tampa, Fla.

LiveDaily correspondent Colin Devenish contributed to this report.