Dueling divas vie for Virgin territory
Curvy crooner Janet Jackson is reportedly furious at Virgin Records for signing rival sexy songbird Mariah Carey for a record $23.5 million per album - while she pulls in a comparatively paltry $10 million. The division between the dueling divas also is fueled by Jackson's fears that the mega-company's whopping generosity to Carey suggests Jackson's new album will take a back seat to Carey's next work when it comes to promoting them.
"Janet considered herself the reigning diva at Virgin before they signed Mariah, and now she's worried that the label will spend more time and effort promoting Mariah's albums than hers - she has been kicking up a big fuss," an industry insider told The Post. Jackson's new album, "All For You", is due out Tuesday.
Jackson - known for her demanding ways - wants the release of Carey's upcoming album, "All That Glitters", pushed back by several months, the source said. Carey's album has been slated for release in late July or early August. "An album's life is usually three to four months," the insider said. "Janet wants to make sure that the album is not shunted in any way."
Jackson's rep, Paul Freundlich, scoffed at the reported rivalry and insiders' claims that his client was miffed at Virgin's multimillion-dollar deal with Carey. "This is absolutely the silliest thing I have ever heard," Freundlich said. "Janet has the No. 1 single and is poised for one of the biggest albums of the year. She certainly has no animosity."
But sources insist that the diva is annoyed. "Mariah is No. 1 at Virgin now," the industry insider said. A Virgin spokesman denied that any animosity exists between the songbirds. "People have been asking Janet about this, but she doesn't have a problem at all," he said.
Jackson's "All for You" - with a No. 1 single already on the charts - is the hotly anticipated follow-up to her wildly successful album "The Velvet Rope" in 1997. The new album - dedicated to rapper Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs - could be her raunchiest yet. In "Love Scene (Ooh Baby)", for example, the singer reportedly uses the F-word and fantasizes about a lover playing with her body, while she moans seductively at the end of "Would You Mind".
But if it came down to an album popularity showdown with the red-hot Carey, the competition would be plenty stiff, since anything Carey releases is a sure-fire hit. Jackson also could have a personal reason to be jealous of Carey as well. Jackson's estranged hubby, Rene Elizondo Jr., has sued her for more than $10 million since their split, while Carey is in the midst of a hot-and-heavy love affair with Latin heartthrob singer Luis Miguel. (Page Six Gossip)
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