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MARY J. BLIGE EXPLAINS 'PRECIOUS' SONG: Plus, watch her National Anthem performance before Game 6 of the World Series.

(November 6, 2009)

*Mary J. Blige talks to Billboard about her contribution to the soundtrack for "Precious," one of the year's most buzzed-about films – opening today in select theaters.

"[Director] Lee Daniels wanted me to get involved with this film. I saw the movie and I was like, 'why wouldn't I want to be involved? Why wouldn't I want to do a song for this film?'" Blige told Billboard on-camera during the Billboard/ Hollywood Reporter Film and TV Music conference last week. (Watch clip of interview below.) "I didn't have lyrics as far as writing, but I saw the film and I was able to relate automatically because I've lived some of that girl's life and I know people who have lived most of her life."

"Precious," an adaptation of the book "Push" by Sapphire, stars newcomer Gabourey Sidibe as a 16-year-old girl who faces illiteracy, rape, domestic abuse, incest and weight issues, among other unfortunate things.

"My first impression of the film was that it was going to shock a lot of people. It's a very powerful film," says Blige.

"Destiny," Blige's song on the soundtrack, contains the lyrics, "age is young but my mind is much older / living up to everyone's expectation, can damn lead to a world of damnation / I gotta clear these voices from my head, all these opinionated noises / listen to the voice of my creator, open doors to a path much greater," atop a somber piano pattern.

"I've been coming from a personal place ever since I spoke on the 'My Life' album. But we never look back into the why -- why is all this happening to us? And that is what 'Precious' is about," Blige continued. "Getting that song out, I had to dig back into the 'why,' and digging back into the why is what hurts the most."

Below: Mary J. Blige talks to Billboard's Bill Werde about making music for "Precious." Scroll down to watch Blige sing the National Anthem before Game 6 of the World Series.