MARY J. BLIGE TALKS ABOUT HER NEW MOVIE I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF!

"I Can Do Bad All by Myself" follows a boozy nightclub owner who turns her life around (with a little help from Tyler ­Perry's Madea, of course).
It's the kind of redemption story Mary J. Blige, one of the film's stars, knows all too well.

In the movie, out Friday, the soul diva plays silky-voiced bar owner Tanya, best friend and dispenser of tough love to ­Taraji P. Henson's nightclub singer April. Now 38, Blige has had her ups and downs and in the process found the "Real Love" she was searching for. She has been married for the past six years to her manager, Kendu Isaacs. Now she's searching for the next American Idol.

You've talked openly about your struggles with addiction and being abused as a child, so you must have been able to relate to the movie's themes.

It's definitely relatable due to my own situation. People do need help when they're in that situation, and only love, only love can really, really pull you out of any kind of addiction. Mostly love for God and yourself, period — that's the only thing that's gonna pull you out.

Your faith is very important. It was part of what helped get you clean and sober.

It's always been crucial to me. Without it, I'm nothing. I'm nobody if I don't know God. All my strength comes from God, every amazing thing I do, he gets the credit.

Did you have any input when Tyler Perry created Tanya?

I had to use my imagination to build the character out of what was in the script. I did that with an acting coach, like research, I mean — I have her backstory, a birth date, siblings and a mom, and a sign. She's a Leo.

The music in the movie is very important and inspirational. You must have songs that have touched you in the same way.

Soul II Soul's "Keep on Movin'." When I was growing up, you'd walk outside and this energy was not good. Everyone was stagnant and didn't wanna go anywhere. This song came on the radio one day and I turned up the radio and started listening to the lyrics and finally something came into my head. "We're gonna get out of here, I'm gonna become a big star, get my family out of here." "Keep on ­movin', don't stop, hands of time, big clock." I kept hearing that. Her voice sounded like an angel singing to me. And Sounds of Blackness' "Optimistic," that was another. Those two songs ministered to me.

Long before Sasha Fierce and Mimi, you had an onstage alter ego called Brook-Lynn. What happened to her?

She's around. She's a rapper that's really cocky and likes to talk junk and defend Mary. If we ever need her to defend Mary, we'll pull her out.