MCA Records released the song as the third single from Share My World in August 1997. "Everything" reached number twenty-four on the US
Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the US
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It also peaked at number six on the
UK Singles Chart, becoming Blige's first top ten hit in the UK, and entered the top ten in the Netherlands and the top twenty in New Zealand. An accompanying music video, directed by
Hype Williams, was filmed in
Kauai, Hawaii in June 1997.
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard stated in his review of "Everything", that Blige "is in typically solid diva form on this romantic jeep cruiser, which is fueled by a prominent sample of "
You Are Everything" by the
Stylistics, as well as a snippet from
James Brown's "
The Payback"." He noted that producers
Jam and Lewis "do an exemplary job of letting Blige breathe freely as an artist (which she does with delicious soul), while also injecting their own signature
pop/
R&B flavor."[1] Jonathan Bernstein from Entertainment Weekly felt that "she unleashes equal joy" on the song.[2] Alan Jones from Music Week declared it as a "wonderful Jam & Lewis creation" and "a spartan urban contemporary track, which provides emphatic proof of Blige's singing ability."[3] Ralph Tee from the magazine's RM Dance Update concluded, "For me this is the standout song from 'Share My World', the familiarity factor in the music and Mary's best vocal yet having a lot to do with it."[4] Gerald Martinez from New Sunday Times opined that Blige "mixes sweetness and power".[5] Laura Jamison from Salon also noted that "Everything" quotes Stylistics' song, adding that it "draws you in with its sheer familiarity."[6]
Music video
The accompanying
music video for the song was directed by American director
Hype Williams and shot in
Kauai, Hawaii in June 1997.[7] The video blends
South Asian style against the lush jungles, cliffs and black sand beaches of the island.[7]
^Everything (UK CD2 liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCSXD 48059.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Everything (UK cassette single sleeve). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCACS 55353.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Share My World (US CD album liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCAD-11606.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
MCA Records released the song as the third single from Share My World in August 1997. "Everything" reached number twenty-four on the US
Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the US
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. It also peaked at number six on the
UK Singles Chart, becoming Blige's first top ten hit in the UK, and entered the top ten in the Netherlands and the top twenty in New Zealand. An accompanying music video, directed by
Hype Williams, was filmed in
Kauai, Hawaii in June 1997.
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard stated in his review of "Everything", that Blige "is in typically solid diva form on this romantic jeep cruiser, which is fueled by a prominent sample of "
You Are Everything" by the
Stylistics, as well as a snippet from
James Brown's "
The Payback"." He noted that producers
Jam and Lewis "do an exemplary job of letting Blige breathe freely as an artist (which she does with delicious soul), while also injecting their own signature
pop/
R&B flavor."[1] Jonathan Bernstein from Entertainment Weekly felt that "she unleashes equal joy" on the song.[2] Alan Jones from Music Week declared it as a "wonderful Jam & Lewis creation" and "a spartan urban contemporary track, which provides emphatic proof of Blige's singing ability."[3] Ralph Tee from the magazine's RM Dance Update concluded, "For me this is the standout song from 'Share My World', the familiarity factor in the music and Mary's best vocal yet having a lot to do with it."[4] Gerald Martinez from New Sunday Times opined that Blige "mixes sweetness and power".[5] Laura Jamison from Salon also noted that "Everything" quotes Stylistics' song, adding that it "draws you in with its sheer familiarity."[6]
Music video
The accompanying
music video for the song was directed by American director
Hype Williams and shot in
Kauai, Hawaii in June 1997.[7] The video blends
South Asian style against the lush jungles, cliffs and black sand beaches of the island.[7]
^Everything (UK CD2 liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCSXD 48059.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Everything (UK cassette single sleeve). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCACS 55353.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Share My World (US CD album liner notes). Mary J. Blige. MCA Records. 1997. MCAD-11606.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)