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Re: Studio singer subject (82,963) (82,967) by Special K from USA Very nicely written articulate opinion but to me it sounds like we are giving Mariah excuses for her lack luster sometimes awful live vocal performances. From 1990-about 2003 Mariah use to slay live vocal performances on a consistent basis. The key is consistency. Mariah gives her greatest live vocal performances when she feels secure and confident with her voice. (Monday 2 July 2018; 16:24)

Re: Studio singer subject (82,963) (82,966) by Billy from Greece Wow. So beautifully said. Preach. (Monday 2 July 2018; 07:43)

Studio singer schmudio schminger (82,965) by Andrew from UK This whole argument is an attempt by a bunch of people to redirect from the fact that Mariah has sounded increasingly bad since 2010 and relies heavily on smoke and mirrors. She always sounded exactly like her records for decades. This is the topic thread equivalent of Mariah waving her hand in front of her face. That's all it is. (Monday 2 July 2018; 01:56)

Sunday treat (82,964) by RibbonB from USA Just gonna leave this right here. This special moment between Fantasia and Miss Patti. All praises to Tasia's dentist for his good work. Cut to the 2:30 mark to the very end, but the whole thing is "fantabulous". Patti's expressions are priceless and Fantasia had a moment. (Sunday 1 July 2018; 19:34)

Studio singer subject (82,963) by CDC from CA Sorry I'm late to the "studio singer" conversation but I traced back to the original post and I'll just give my input. I wouldn't give too much clout to those using the "studio singer" argument to belittle Mariah's abilities as a singer. Those talking points are usually from ardent fans of the gospel divas or the soul/r&b divas whose rearing was cultivated in the pentecostal or baptist church. And I guess after Aretha crossed over to the pop charts 50+ years ago, that became the standard for all diva singers. I would argue that pulling off every vocal tick in front of an audience only to prove that the recorded voice matches the human larynx is only a small part of being an artist. Going into why Mariah is not only a "studio singer" is absurd and historically proven and on record and forever archived in the internet. *Why* she prefers the studio over the stage is a more interesting conversation. And that simply boils down to her upbringing. Mariah's seeds as an artist began with a pen and paper. Aretha's, Whitney's, Patti's, etc. began in the boisterous pews of the black church. Mariah's entrance into the industry began as a session singer. Most others began as nightclub/cabaret/revue acts. Not better or worse, just different paths to the artists they've become. But it's Mariah's experience in the studio that makes her craftsmanship there more superior to so many others. "My All", for example, is more multifaceted and richer in colour than most rock critics can ever assess. And what make Mariah above those cheap arguments you hear from people who don't know any better? It's actually her reluctance to live performance that grew her fanbase, because it's an ingredient that makes her *artistic message*. Aretha's is the expression of human ambition for spiritual renewal. Judy Garland's was about exhausting perseverance through innate pain exhorted by others. Whitney's was about concealing simmering tension beneath precision. Barbra Streisand's is about revitalizing tradition. And finally Mariah's ethos is about self acceptance and finding comfort in the path to overcoming insecurities. And this is a message that she's been able to author herself through her lyrics, and one that, in a way, we all identify with (as experienced listeners of her message) and why we are all on this website. (Sunday 1 July 2018; 19:10)

Re: Studio singer? (82,953) (82,962) by Musti from UK I could give you a a thousand likes if I could. Beautifully said. (Sunday 1 July 2018; 13:30)

My Love (82,961) by Musti from UK YouTube was kind enough to remind me about this song today. Such an underrated gem. She's at her best here from start to finish. Although I miss her doing story-driven songs with big words, sometimes I wonder whether she really needs to use impressive vocabulary when she has that magnificent voice to dress up even the simplest lyric. (Sunday 1 July 2018; 13:23)

Re: Studio singer? (82,959) (82,960) by bromo from indonesia Mariah will always be a very strong singer in the studio rather than live. The fact that Mariah sings almost all of her own creations is a good reason. As you know, Mariah's songs are studio masterpieces. Layer by layer vocals created in the studio by Mariah, on some tracks, it is very unlikely to be presented live. Of course Mariah has some hits that are not too complicated vocal layer (Vanishing, I Wish You Well) which from the studio version of the recording also seemed to be live. However, unfortunately not all the songs "sounded live" was a hit, other than My All, maybe. And, finally Mariah always appears live by bringing songs that are unbelievably difficult, for example Vision of Love. The song is like a showcase to show Mariah's vocal abilities. And the songs created by Mariah are generally not easy listening. Often even odd for the common ears. And when you hear a song that is not familiar with your music habits, maybe you know it's hard, but the brain will deliver it ugly. That's how I think why Mariah Carey's live performance is often not as good as anyone's impression while listening to her studio recordings (Sunday 1 July 2018; 06:26)

Re: Studio singer? (82,956) (82,959) by Tijl from Belgium Hear hear. (Saturday 30 June 2018; 20:19)

Re: Emotionless (82,951) (82,958) by Randy from USA I agree Bill. It's like Drake was insistent to use that sample and it's a YouTube beat maker who produced it. He's rapping over a nonconsistent beat and the sample has been cut and paste in a way whereas it would almost fit with the beat within a half a second. It's a sloppy production. He's also done this same kind of "yo I'm sampling this song no matter what" to Lauryn Hill's Ex Factor. (Saturday 30 June 2018; 15:46)

Re: Studio singer? (82,953) (82,957) by Chicago Lamb from USA Beautifully stated Mathew. My eyes are misty. (Saturday 30 June 2018; 15:35)

Studio singer? (82,956) by Nikki from usa Heck, no. That's reserved for Milli Vanilli. You all know that's Mariah's voice and how she sounds on records is how she sounds live. It was airy during Daydream and that's how it sounded live. She got raspy for Rainbow and that's how she sounded live. There's no trickery there. That's all MC. Point blank: Mariah's not a performer. She's a creator and that's where she's happiest. Mariah will put on a live show when she's excited about something, but she's not going to turn that into a steady diet. Also, creating a plethora of vocals is how you record a song. Labels don't always like the way you sang a song, so they'll have you do other variations. That's a part of the normal process. Mariah is forever multitasking. She's not just singing on stage, she's recording a song the night before, and has an interview afterward. When she decides to sing live she doesn't actually give herself the breaks she needs to pull it off. She's doing back to back shows. She doesn't show up to rehearsals and wings it. MC doesn't care about performances because everything is about getting back into the studio to create a new "baby". When MC is excited about a new song, that's when you'll see her next great performance. (Saturday 30 June 2018; 08:03)

Re: Emotionless (82,951) (82,955) by RibbonB from USA No comment. (Saturday 30 June 2018; 01:46)

Re: Emotionless (82,950) (82,954) by RibbonB from USA I really liked it from the snippet at least. I can foresee a hit, especially with a cool video. (Saturday 30 June 2018; 01:45)

Re: Studio singer? (82,933) (82,953) by Matthew from USA Mariah is a studio singer and that's not a bad thing. Even during her peak, she was never really a "bring the house down" type of live performer like Patti, Aretha or Whitney. Those women may go down in history as better singers because of their ability to command the stage. Mariah is the better artist though. In the studio, during the crafting process, she makes very interesting decisions. Her runs are consistently sympathetic to the melody (unlike Christina or Beyonce) and she employs the full extent of her range throughout any studio effort. It's not just range though, but texture. You are liable to get rasps, growls, belts, earthy wails, airy breathy trills and several whistles, and that might just be in one song. Her technical proficiency is also great. She transitions well, but is capable of just disconnecting and pitching herself into an entirely different register as well as a host of other tricks. Add to that her strength as a lyricist, then add her ability to emote. Girlfriend can even emote on her whistles, whereas most people can just try to hold it. There is sexy whistle, playful whistle, angry shriek whistle, whistle of despair and sadness. My point is that when it comes to artistry, musicality, and the depth of her catalog, Mariah is first in class among divas. (Saturday 30 June 2018; 00:40)

Re: Emotionless (82,951) (82,952) by Dav from Ireland You is kind, you is smart, you is important. (Friday 29 June 2018; 23:16)

Re: Emotionless (82,941) (82,951) by Bill from the UK Hmmm. Not sure what I make of it. I've only given it the one listen but it seems a bit of a mess to me. But then, who am I? (Friday 29 June 2018; 21:35)

Re: Emotionless (82,941) (82,950) by Licia from USA So the song sounds good? I hate for artists to mess up a good sample. (Friday 29 June 2018; 21:15)

Re: Drake - Emotionaless (82,942) (82,949) by Billy from England, UK I do hope we get to see her perform this live with Drake as we all know she gives her all on the opening of this song, it will be amazing. (Friday 29 June 2018; 19:36)

Re: Emotions Drake sample (82,947) (82,948) by Terna from Nigeria Oh I didn't read that article nor any other for that matter before posting here. I heard about the sample through Instagram and proceeded to preview that song and you know I know my Mariah Carey records. (Friday 29 June 2018; 18:20)

Emotions Drake sample (82,947) by Terna from Nigeria If I'm not mistaken it's the C&C Music Factory remix he sampled. That epic vocal intro is everything. Here's hoping for a real collaboration between the two. [Webmaster: That's exactly what was written in this article.] (Friday 29 June 2018; 16:55)

Perfectionist (82,946) by Gee from U.S.A. (New York City) You made a very great point Special K, and Mariah herself has mentioned that she felt like she had to be perfect all the time, because of her insecurities and never thinking she was good enough. Or feeling like the rug could be pulled out from under her. For me as a family we will always have debates about Mariah but the fact that I was able to experience Mariah throughout the different eras and times in her career both good and bad is a real true blessing for me. (Friday 29 June 2018; 15:00)

Re: Fourth of July/Underneath the Stars Mash Up (82,936) (82,945) by Andrew from UK William, you can't go near Boy? O the irony. (Friday 29 June 2018; 14:26)

Re: Studio singer? (82,933) (82,944) by RibbonB from USA She certainly seems more comfortable singing in studio, than singing live on stage. I still love her though, she remains on my shortlist of faves due to her tone, and her songs. There are many greats, legends even who still sing strong, effortless even, into their sixties and seventies. Mimi is not one of them, but perhaps this new found touring is her setting the stage for the legacy leg of her career. Still perfecting how-to translate her best to the stage. (Friday 29 June 2018; 13:59)

Re: Studio singer? (82,940) (82,943) by Randy from USA Thanks Special K for the love and you hit it right on the head with insecure perfectionist. That describes so much of what she does. And This is ghm what you said makes a lot of sense. What she puts down in the studio is so much better than her contemporaries but damn near impossible to replicate live. Whereas what they put down in the studio is easy to surpass live and MC can barely replicate her music let alone surpass it. What I think is interesting is a few years back someone on this board said that it's the music that lasts forever no one remembers the live performances. But thanks to YouTube, live performances matter. And of course as I've told you guys a lot, on social media, at parties, and among friends we argue about divas like they're sports athletes. When it comes to numbers, I can tout Mariah all day. Then when we start comparing performances, I have to stfu and take my seat because I only have a few good ones. (Friday 29 June 2018; 13:31)

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