Live chat transcript

Digital Dish Diva says: Welcome to MSN Live. This afternoon we are pleased to welcome Mariah Carey to MSN Live. Mariah it is great to have you back on MSN Live.

Mariah says: Hey Lambs. How ya doin? Hi. [said in a very high pitch tone]

Digital Dish Diva says We have so many questions from around the world tonight so let's get started.

Liron_MariahDaily_MCRulz asks: Dear Mariah, you have such a huge catalogue. What are your top 5 all-time favorite songs of yours?

Mariah says: Hey Liron. I know you. I would have to put them in categories if I were to do that because they're all different for me but I guess we could start with "Underneath the Stars", "Saving Grace", "Vanishing", "Fantasy with ODB" and "Clown".

MCDiva222 asks: "Charmbracelet" is an amazing CD. I love "I only Wanted", "Clown", "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" and "The One". Those are my favorite tracks. The whole album is incredible. What will your next single be?

Mariah says: Thank you very much. I'm really happy with the album and the response from the fans to the album. The next single should be "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" but I'm in a quandary because "The One" is sounding so good and has a special guest. Plus Busta and the Slip Mode is coming out and with a video.

Simon01says asks: Mariah, I love to write songs and I'm going to school and majoring in music. Do you have any advice for me about the music business?

Mariah says: I love music. The business itself is intense. So if you want to get into the "business" I suggest that you make sure you really, really want to devote a lot of time to it and have a high tolerance for stress. Believe in your music and if you do you'll succeed.

Digital Dish Diva says: From a Mariah fan: How did you come up with the idea of the Jordan Jersey dresses you wore at the NBA halftime performance and is there any place that I can purchase one? I loved the high heel Jordan shoes you wore at the NBA All-star game. How do a get a pair like that?

Mariah says: When I found I was going to be doing the tribute, I was excited and wanted to wear something to do with Michael Jordan and I spoke to him and asked if I could borrow some jerseys. He gave me two and I made one into a shirt and one into a skirt. I decided to make the Jordan 11's into high heels because I love them. As far as purchasing, I've been asked about that a lot so maybe we'll have to work on that. E-mail Michael Jordan and the NBA that you want the Mariah Carey line and make it happen.

Mariahcentraldotorg asks: Mariah, my name is Kelly and I love ya much. When are you starting your tour in the USA? This year will you be coming to cities you've never been too? Such as Buffalo NY or Rochester NY? You have never been to either city?

Mariah says: I'm definitely touring this year. I'm starting in Asia in May and then to America and I'd like to get to places I've not been before.

Flowers_and_Silence asks: Your lyrics are so incredibly deep and captivating. What is your secret to great song writing? Especially when you can't seem to make the lyrics rhyme. I have that problem.

Mariah says: With some songs it's not about whether or not the word is a perfect rhyme. With the songs that are personal it's about the lyrics and they flow the best for me like "Close My Eyes". I don't think there's a secret. It's a gift I'm thankful for and it's healing for me. I couldn't see just singing other's songs. Songwriting is like 80% of what I do.

BluDiamondsAreBetter asks: How do you make it through the things that you make it through? You are such an inspiration, I love you so much.

Mariah says: You know, again I would have to credit having the faith to persevere to get through any situation. And to have faith in God's plan for me, everything's going to be ok and I'm ok with that. Once you allow that to be your motto, everything falls into place. No matter how bad it gets, you have to realize the blessings you have and be optimistic.

Crazycat911 asks: Hi. First off I just wanted to say that you are such a good role model and your music really touches my heart. Keep it going girl.

Mariah says: Thank you. Thank you much.

Honey04652 asks: Hey MC. I'm a big fan. Do you have a secret for keeping your legs in the great shape that they are in? They are absolutely gorgeous. Hanes should sign you on.

Mariah says: [laughs] Thank you. You should holla at them and let them know.

Digital Dish Diva says: Do you do the Stairmaster?

Mariah says: Fortunately I'm a muscular person and I've always been that way and what I like to do is pool aerobics because you don't feel like you're exercising. If I can't do that, I go on the stationary bike and watch a movie so it's not so boring.

Sdiva1982 asks: Mariah, will "Yours" with Justin Timberlake ever get released?

Mariah says: That's on his record label. I personally think it's great and I love what we did together and I would love for it to come out and he sounds really good on it. But it's up to his label. This would be a nice compliment to "Cry Me A River".

Icerok1 asks: My mom died on Christmas Day. "Butterfly" helped me get through that. What inspire you to write that?

Mariah says: I'm very sorry to hear about your mom passing away. "Butterfly" came from a personal experience of growing and evolving and feeling freer.

Samantha1 says: What do you do when you hang out with your girlfriends? Do you go to the mall?

Mariah says: If I want to be private or relaxed, the mall isn't the easiest place for me to go. What we usually do is have my friends come over to my house or we go to a club. I also like to go on vacation to warm places and take my friends with me. We get to see and experience things like the beautiful Caribbean.

Portugalian11 asks: Mariah, can anyone go to your camp?

Mariah says: Campers have to be 13-15 and they can call 800-FreshAir. It's mainly for kids from the Tri-state area and it lets them experience new things.

Mariahfan says: First I want to say how much I love "Charmbracelet". My question is, was it your initial concept to come up with an album that played more like a body of work where each song is the equivalent to a chapter in a book vs a lot of other album that are out there right now by other artists that just put one or two radio friendly songs on the record and the rest of the album has no rhyme or reason to it?

Mariah says: Thank you very much. I'm very close to this album. It ended up having a feeling of a more cohesive body of work as I continue to write the songs. When I first started I didn't know what it would be and as it evolved it took on a life of it's own and I had to cut out some of the songs. There were too many. It documented a time in my life and I'm grateful you feel this way and I'm grateful for the question.

Manolis_Varnasactor1 asks: Mariah what kind of things usually relaxes you after an exhausting schedule you have?

Mariah says: Talking on the phone with friends, watching movies, listening to music, hot baths. Stuff like that.

Digital Dish Diva says: You are such a girly girl, Mariah.

Mariah says: You're right about that. I'm sitting here in a vintage Gucci dress and silver heels. I just ran across the street from BET, where I did 106 and Pride, with like 5 big guys and I didn't have a jacket. I don't usually walk more than ten paces from like a car or something.

A Mariah fan says: I just heard the remix of "Boy" on the Tom Joyner morning show the other day. It is sooo hot. The beat is awesome. Can you tell me what inspired this version of "Boy"? Will it be made available to purchase? Will there be a video done for this remix version?

Mariah says: Thank you. I'm not sure if there's going to be a video or not. It was with Cam'ron, Jimmy Jones and Freeway. I love working with those guys. It will be out soon on the radio and you can request it.

Quiksilver75937 asks: Hey Mariah, what is the funniest thing that has happened to you during a performance?

Mariah says: My shoe broke once. Let's see, what else? I made it funny, but I don't know if it was funny at the moment. Funny things like my zipper on my dress broke. You have to play it off when things like that happens.

Sala8020 asks: What does the "G5" thing in "Clown" mean?

Mariah says: "I gotta break it to you delicately, Dunny, taking my G5, 20 minutes wasn't nothing." Is that the line you mean? Basically what that line means is a G5 is a private plane. I fly all over the world every other week. If I take my plane for 20 minutes it isn't that big of deal to me. If I'm going to someone's house, it's not big to me. It's not that deep. It's like stop flattering yourself. Taking a 20 minute plane ride is like walking to the deli for me. I fly to Guam because I like the name. [laughs] It's actually on my way to Japan. I fly a lot, so it's not that deep. It's saying, "It's not all about you sweetie. You're not the star of every show."

Digital Dish Diva says: I didn't know you were pragmatic.

Mariah says: I gotta be everything I can be. I'm a Renaissance girl. Pow.

Kells_belle asks: Mariah why do you love butterflies so much? (By the way I love you.)

Mariah says: Thank you very much. Butterflies are a symbol of freedom that people started to associate with me after the album. So people started giving me butterfly things and I like them. It's not like I have a room covered in insects. They're just very pretty. I have butterfly wallpaper, but not butterflies flying around my house.

Digital Dish Diva says: Do you collect anything? Butterflies? Lambs?

Mariah says: Yes, both. But obviously not real ones. Actually people give me a lot of things. It's not like I go to the store and buy all the lambs I can. People give me things.

Digital Dish Diva says: Mariah, that's all the time we have for today. Thanks for joining us today to talk with your fans from around the world about "Charmbracelet".

Mariah says: Thank you all for waiting up and hanging out to talk to me. Thank you for your questions. I really enjoy doing this and interacting with you all. I'm grateful for the support of the album, the video, "106 and Park" and "TRL". I love, appreciate, and enjoy you all. I left some messages on the website if you want to check them out.

(MSN Chat)