Mary J. Blige is emotional songwriter

Mary J. Blige writes soundtracks for movies that "pull on [her] heartstrings".

The songstress wrote and performed the track I Can See In Color for 2009 drama film Precious. The critically acclaimed film follows 16-year-old Claireece P. 'Precious' Jones and her life with her abusive mother and father.

Mary chose to write the soundtrack for the harrowing film because it personally affected her.

"It has to be something that touches my heart," she explained in an interview with the LA Times. "It has to touch my heart because it has to be relevant to me and what I've seen in my life, or what I've watched someone else experience.

"It has to be something I can relate to, and it has to be something that can pull on my heartstrings."

Mary also wrote The Living Proof for this year's box office success The Help. She watched the film two times and took notes before penning the track.

"I was writing things that would move me. I was writing questions, I was writing about characters," she said.

The film is set in 1960s Mississippi and follows aspiring journalist Skeeter Phelan as she writes a book about how African American maids are treated in white households.

Mary was inspired by the strong female characters.

"When and if we all survive those negative situations, we all walk away as living proof that we can change things," she said.

"All of those women were sticking together trying to make a difference. They were living proof of that, and that was where the title and inspiration for the song came from."

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