Blige 'cried working on Precious song'

Mary J. Blige has revealed that she struggled to record a song for the Precious soundtrack.

Blige, who wrote 'I Can See In Colour' for the film, told Variety that the track was inspired by her upbringing in a New York project.

"[Director] Lee [Daniels] would say, 'I want it darker, bluesier'," she explained. "'Use your own life'. I went into the studio and cried hard, reaching back."

The star added that she also wanted to write the song because of her work with women on the street.

"Precious is why I keep telling this story," she said.

Blige recently opened a women's refuge in New York.